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'Please stop' - Wellington crowd criticised by anti-boo brigade online for their treatment of Beauden Barrett
Beauden Barrett’s first game in Wellington since leaving the Hurricanes was always going to draw the ire of his former hometown crowd.
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The former Hurricanes first five was building a career as one of the club’s all-time greats, perhaps their best ever player, before leaving to take up an irresistible deal with the Blues.
Despite their individual feats, legends Ma’a Nonu, Jerry Collins, Tana Umaga and Christian Cullen all failed to bring a championship to the club. Beauden Barrett was integral in securing the inaugural Super Rugby title in 2016, and became the face of the franchise.
There was no player more central to the Hurricanes team than Barrett, so his sudden departure at the peak of his career to another New Zealand Super Rugby club was an understandably emotional split.
The Hurricanes’ fans in attendance at Sky Stadium welcomed Barrett in typical fashion, and would not stop booing anytime their former hero touched the ball and the boos intensified as Barrett took over the kicking duties late in the second half.
This expected response did not go down well with overseas fans, who lambasted the Wellington crowd for their efforts calling them ’embarrassing’ and ‘pathetic’. The anti-boo brigade lead the charge on Twitter calling for the booing to stop.
Hey Canes 'fans' in the stadium who are booing Beauden every time he gets the ball: please stop. You're embarrassing yourselves. When he's back in an ABs jersey, you'll be cheering him on. #HURvBLU
— Laurie Winkless (@laurie_winkless) July 18, 2020
Can the crowd stop fucking booing Beauden like that??? There’s no need #HURvBLU
— Lucy Fer (@LucyF3r8) July 18, 2020
Pathetic booing of Beauden Barrett in Wellingtoni. Just saying
— ?? rty.boy ? ? (@rty_boy) July 18, 2020
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Stop booing Beauden, Wellington.
— ?Tana Sans Peur ?????? (@JPu02) July 18, 2020
NZ commentators complaining about NZ crowd booing Barrett ask “surely they can’t keep this up all day?”. What do you think @QuadeCooper? @GAGR @therugbyruckus
— Richard (@Latho99) July 18, 2020
@Hurricanesrugby fans should grow up. Booing Beauden Barrett is not on!
— Angus (@AngyboyJ) July 18, 2020
My niece is not impressed that they are booing Beauden Barrett.
— Social Isolationist (@LwaziSomya) June 20, 2020
Barrett answered the booing with a brilliant solo try 10 minutes into the game, fittingly his first for the Blues, by slicing straight through the middle of the Hurricanes defence and using his speed to gas the cover defence.
However this did nothing to stop the crowd’s efforts to make the Blues fullback know how they feel.
10min: TRY BLUES – BEAUDEN BARRETT
Would you believe it, it's THAT MAN, who has hit back!
The crowd are booing every time he's touching the ball, and he's just pumped onto a ball and sliced through a gap, sprinted 30 metres to dive in and score!— Brent Nooroa (@brent_nooroa) July 18, 2020
Not everyone was upset with the crowd’s response, with others seeing the lighter side of the crowd’s behaviour.
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Halftime:
Barrett: "Are they booing me, Leon?"
MacDonald: "No sir. They're saying Boo-arrett, Boo-arrett".#HURvBLU
— James Rodbourn (@jrodbourn) July 18, 2020
Hurricanes booing Beauden Barrett is the content I love to hear ???
— Thala Msutu (@ThalaMsutu77) July 18, 2020
Keep on booing the Barrett in Blue ‘canes fans #Blues #SuperRugbyAotearoa
— Greg Hirst (@Gregwithoneg) July 18, 2020
Lol, Hurricanes fans are still booing Beauden ???
— ChiWeaponised 5G Bat ?? (@Dangurangu) July 18, 2020
In the end, chants of ‘Jordie, Jordie, Jordie’ rained down for the younger Barrett as he lined up a potential clutch conversion from the sideline to put the Hurricanes up by two with minutes remaining.
The Hurricanes’ fullback answered the calls with a brilliant kick to spark wild celebrations by the home crowd as they went up 29-27.
A rather dubious decision to let the Hurricanes get away with a back peddling scrum on the final play robbed Beauden of a potential long-range penalty goal shot to steal the game back in injury time.
TJ Perenara was able to clear the ball into touch and secure the Hurricanes third straight victory.
Beauden Barrett’s first game back in Wellington ended with a tight loss but it likely won’t be the last time he is booed at the Caketin.
One just has to remember how the New Zealand crowds treated Quade Cooper with the boos lasting years before they died out after the infamous knee on Richie McCaw in a Brisbane Bledisloe Cup match.
If that is anything to go by, Beauden will have to get used to rough receptions in New Zealand’s capital.
Comments on RugbyPass
pure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
1 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
25 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
25 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
25 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to comments