New Zealand has a serious problem in the No 10 jersey
The long-running debate in New Zealand rugby has surrounded whether Beauden Barrett or Richie Mo’unga is the right man to wear No 10 for the All Blacks. The unfortunate answer, however, is that neither of them might be suited to guide NZ to a World Cup next year.
Since Dan Carter retired from the international game, the All Blacks have struggled to find a truly world-class replacement.
Barrett, even at his best – when he was undoubtedly one of the top players in the world – was a square peg in a round hole. His running game is second to none and he might have a claim to being the fastest first receiver the world’s ever seen but when it comes to the core duties of a flyhalf – passing, kicking and playmaking, Barrett simply doesn’t compare with the likes of Carter, England’s Owen Farrell or Ireland’s Johnny Sexton.
Barrett’s greatest performances for the All Blacks came off the bench as an impact sub when he was able to make the most of searing pace – often at fullback.
In the years immediately following the 2015 World Cup, Barrett’s weaknesses in the No 10 jersey were easily overlooked because the All Blacks were generally able to get physical parity with their opposition, if not the upper hand, making things easier for the men in the backline. Make no mistake, Barrett never got an armchair ride – but he was certainly never under the pressure that he will find himself in now that England, Ireland and South Africa and stepped up their games.
With the fast-paced rush defence used by the top sides in the world putting incredible pressure on the first receiver, a calm, collected head is needed in the No 10 jersey now more than ever and that’s simply never been Barrett’s forte.
The man that’s been Barrett’s main competition at a national level is Mo’unga, who’s time and time again been one of the best players in Super Rugby and guided the Crusaders to four titles on the trot.
All the things you want from a No 10, Mo’unga possesses in droves – at least when he’s wearing red and black. When given the opportunity to run the cutter at test level, however, Mo’unga has failed to impress.
Some of that can be attributed to the different systems employed by Scott Robertson and Ian Foster, with the All Blacks demanding an ‘always on’ role from their first five, and some of that will come down to the same issue that will plague all NZ pivots, no matter how talented they are – getting a tougher ride behind an under-pressure pack – but in 22 starts for the All Blacks, 27-year-old Mo’unga has not yet stepped up to the mark.
The safe money would be on Barrett starting at No 10 for the All Blacks this season. He’s the experienced option and a considerably more physical player who defends as well as any other flyhalf in the world game. He’s also shown some trademark flashes of brilliance for the Blues this season – but he’s not done anything to suggest his game control has taken any consistent steps forward.
Against the Fijian Drua on Saturday evening, Barrett’s kicking was circumspect at the best of times – both in terms of when he kicked, and how he kicked. It’s an issue that’s been prevalent throughout his career and at 30 years of age and with probably just two more All Blacks campaigns left before he retires from the test arena, it’s unlikely things are going to change dramatically.
Can the All Blacks win next season’s World Cup with Barrett or Mo’unga in the driver suit? Absolutely. They both possess the X-factor that can set a game alight or create tries out of nowhere, but that’s effectively the type of play that NZ relied on last year – brilliant chips and chases from Will Jordan or intercepts from Rieko Ioane. Moments of magics can change games, but they can’t be reliably called upon three weeks in a row when the sudden death stages of the World Cup arrive in France.
Mo’unga might be the man tasked with wearing No 10 in 2024 and with four years of uninterrupted rugby at flyhalf for the All Blacks, he may yet find his feet in the role – but he’s certainly not taking to it like some of New Zealand’s world-class operators of the past. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with being ‘only’ an amazing Super Rugby player and not being able to replicate that at the next level up – but it is becoming a problem for the All Blacks, especially when there aren’t any obvious heirs-apparent coming through the ranks.
The most promising young 10 to have plenty of first-class experience under his belt is Fergus Burke but his progression is blocked at the Crusaders. This year, Burke has mustered just two starts, which both came while Mo’unga was on extended leave at the beginning of the season. Coach Robertson still doesn’t trust Burke to close out tight matches and if Mo’unga does remain in NZ for the next six years, any chances of Burke developing into a big-game player are slim at best.
The likes of Ruben Love and Rivez Reihana have shown promise at first five during their formative years but have had few regular chances to grow into the role at Super Rugby level – and it’s not as if playing No 10 is an easy thing to just pick up late in the piece.
Around the rest of the country, Zarn Sullivan could be an option but it stuck at fullback for the Blues while men like Bryn Gatland, Mitch Hunt, Jackson Garden-Bachop and Stephen Perofeta have plateaued at Super Rugby level. Josh Ioane is perhaps the only experienced first five who is could step into the test arena but he’s struggled for consistency in recent seasons and at 26 years of age, is not much younger than Mo’unga.
In the pro era, it’s always been relatively obvious fairly early in the piece who the next pivot off the conveyor belt will be. Barrett and Aaron Cruden were waiting in the wings following Carter’s departure while Carter himself succeeded men like Andrew Mehrtens and Carlos Spencer. Now, it’s impossible to know.
A world-class first five-eighth has always been a hallmark of All Blacks sides in years gone by but it would be disingenuous to suggest New Zealand boast a player of such talent at present and without a dominant pack to make things easier for the likes of Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga, the All Blacks are in for a rough couple of years.
Comments on RugbyPass
Etzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
182 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
182 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
182 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
182 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
182 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
182 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
182 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
182 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
182 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
182 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to comments