Scott Barrett is the answer to one of the All Blacks’ toughest questions
When Jerome Kaino said au revoir to New Zealand Rugby by signing with French powerhouse Toulouse in early 2018, the search for the All Blacks’ next great blindside flanker intensified.
Kaino set the bar high during his decorated career in black, and the New Zealand rugby public have looked to the legendary blindside as the blueprint to the position in the five years since.
But the All Blacks have failed to find Kaino’s long-term successor – which is ironic.
The answer to this seemingly never-ending rugby problem has been right in front of All Blacks’ selectors the entire time.
Kaino started all three Test matches during the drawn series against the British and Irish Lions in 2017, but things took a turn during the remainder of the international season.
Personal reasons and injuries plagued the veteran’s campaign, and the first of many trialists were called upon to follow in a giant of the All Blacks’ footsteps that year. Kaino didn’t start at blindside flanker for the All Blacks ever again.
Highlanders loose forward Liam Squire started four Tests in the legendary No. 6 jersey during The Rugby Championship, and Hurricanes star Vaea Fifita started the other two.
Squire continued to hold down the fort during the first two Tests of 2018 against France, before Shannon Frizell was named to start in the third clash in Dunedin.
Frizell, Squire and Fifita would all get a run that year – but only one went to the World Cup in Japan. Fifita was overlooked, and Squire made himself unavailable due to personal reasons.
Even Ardie Savea was thrust into the role against the Wallabies just before the last World Cup.
Since, other players including Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papli’i, Ethan Blackadder and Akira Ioane have attempted to make their mark as All Black regulars.
But so far, no luck. It hasn’t all been for nothing though.
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett, who is among the best locks in Super Rugby Pacific, was back in the No. 6 jersey for the champion franchise in round 15.
It was Barrett’s first start at blindside flanker this year.
But it’s not exactly a position he’s completely foreign too, either.
Barrett was a shock inclusion in the starting side at blindside to play England in the semi-final of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Yokohama, and it was an intriguing experiment.
Going into that tournament-defining clash, this selection was exciting.
But hindsight is a gloriously obnoxious thing.
While it was an exciting indication of Barrett’s potential with the All Blacks, it was arguably the wrong time to give it a go.
In the years since, Barrett has played a vast majority of his rugby in the second row. It’s almost like that semi against the English never happened.
In the eyes of some, it failed – so let’s move on and never speak of it again.
But that would be disastrous.
The real loss, mistake or regret would be to give up on this so called ‘experiment’ completely.
The 29-year-old started another Test against England during last year’s end-of-season tour, and has otherwise shown plenty of promise and potential in the position for both club and country.
Last weekend’s clash against the Hurricanes at Sky Stadium was another example.
Barrett showcased the very best of his versatility – proving to the rugby world why that this is an idea worth trying time and time again.
The towering forward was a menace in both attack and defence. Barrett finished with the second-most carries out of any Crusaders forward, and also made a staggering 18 tackles.
But, importantly, Barrett also provided Codie Taylor with another primary option at the set-piece.
That’s crucial.
It’s no secret that this year’s Rugby World Cup in France is set to be the most competitive iteration of the prestigious tournament ever.
Northern hemisphere sides including France and Ireland go into this year’s tournament with not only belief but favouritism.
And their lineout is an undeniable strength.
If the All Blacks decided to run with the likes of Shannon Frizell of Akira Ioane at blindside flanker, the pair would bring some powerful physicality to the line-up.
But whether or not they’re up to the standard as world-class options at the set-piece is certainly up for debate. In comparison to Barrett, though, there’s no denying his skillset.
Even Rugby World Cup hero Stephen Donald would select the Crusaders’ skipper at blindside flanker, saying on SENZ that Barrett would “add the extra punch at six to compete with some of these massive packs.”
Alongside the formidable and longstanding duo of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock in the second row, the All Blacks can add another weapon to their arsenal.
But it all comes back to one of the toughest questions facing the All Blacks.
Who is the next Jerome Kaino?
If the All Blacks want to win this year’s Rugby World Cup, then there’s one option that stands clearly above the rest.
Scott Barrett can help the All Blacks deliver a record fourth Webb Ellis Trophy to a small rugby-mad nation at the bottom of the world – but he can’t do it as an under-utilised talent on the bench.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to comments