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Sir John Kirwan calls for Beauden Barrett and Brodie Retallick to be benched by All Blacks and urges NZR not to re-sign TJ Perenara
Sir John Kirwan believes Beauden Barrett and Brodie Retallick should be benched by the All Blacks upon their return to New Zealand from Japan later this year.
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The former All Blacks wing also believes New Zealand Rugby [NZR] should not re-sign TJ Perenara beyond this year as he said the national union should be looking ahead to the next generation for the upcoming World Cups.
During his appearance on the latest episode of The Breakdown on Monday, Kirwan said Barrett, who is currently on sabbatical with Suntory Sungoliath in Japan’s Top League, is “going to have to get used to” wearing the No 22 jersey after he played off the bench for the Tokyo-based club over the weekend.
Barrett scored a hat-trick of tries and a total of 25 points in an 18-minute showing for Suntory during their 94-31 thrashing of NTT Communications Shining Arcs at Komazawa Olympic Park on Sunday.
However, Kirwan wasn’t convinced that Barrett’s prolific cameo appearance, and his other match-winning efforts in the Top League, validates a starting spot in the All Blacks.
The 56-year-old said both Barrett and Retallick, who is on sabbatical with Kobelco Steelers, shouldn’t be able to walk back into New Zealand’s starting lineup over those currently plying their trade in Super Rugby Aotearoa due to the comparative lack of defensive intensity in the Top League.
“When I said Beaudy [Barrett] stays in 22, there’s no way that the All Blacks selectors would risk them coming back without knowing the intensity of the Japanese league,” Kirwan said.
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“Right now, if you look at that, you think, ‘Well, who was tackling out there?’
“Now, I love the Japanese league, I’ve played it, I’ve coached it, it’s fantastic. Maybe a game at the end of the season would sort that out, but Beaudy and Brodie have to come back and sit on the bench.
“You cannot let our guys play through that [Super Rugby Aotearoa] season, while they’re away, and let them come back and take the 10 [jersey].”
Ex-All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson added that there is a considerable gulf in class between teams at the opposite ends of the table in the Top League, which prevents Kiwi stars from playing in matches of the same intensity that is seen in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
He suggested a cross-over match between the champions of the Top League and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman could alleviate that issue, but Kirwan went one step further and called for full-time Japanese involvement in Super Rugby.
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He indicated that if New Zealanders are facing off against each other in the same competition, regardless of which country they are playing in, then it shouldn’t matter where those players are based.
“My issue is this – we need to expand our game to Japan and they need to be part of our competition,” he said.
“If Beaudy wants to stay there and play and Suntory come down here and get smacked by 60 points, we know that it is a financial sabbatical, but if everyone starts playing up there, we’re playing across our borders, then I don’t see why, some time tomorrow, we can’t pick players from our extended competition.”
Perenara, meanwhile, is another All Black on sabbatical in Japan with the resurgent NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.
The 29-year-old has been crucial in the Red Hurricanes’ change in fortunes this season as he had helped turn the Osaka-based club into genuine title contenders in 2021 after they were on the receiving end of numerous heavy defeats last year.
That didn’t stop Kirwan from urging NZR to not re-sign Perenara, though, as he labelled the 69-test halfback as a player in the “twilight of his career”.
Instead, the former Italy, Japan and Blues head coach suggested the national union’s money would be better invested in younger players, such as injured Highlanders star Folau Fakatava.
“You can’t re-sign Perenara. You cannot re-sign him,” Kirwan said. “I love the man, don’t get me wrong, but who do you want to keep?”
He added: “I think there’s some young guys coming through and, for the next World Cup, I just think, ‘Look, I’d love to sign him, but if it was a case of signing a couple of younger guys that are gonna get us to the next World Cup, as good and on further, then I just think he’s gonna be [left out]’.
Has Ardie Savea thrown his All Blacks captaincy hat in the ring after his performance against the Crusaders?#AotearoaRugbyPod
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“We’re talking about the World Cup and going forward, right? So, if you think about TJ, he’s been a great servant of the game, he’s getting to the twilight of his career, and, for me, there’s guys who are starting to stack up that are going to give us another two World Cups.
“TJ should be signed, yeah, but at some stage, you’ve got to [weigh up your options].”
Ex-All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina contested Kirwan’s comments by arguing that if Perenara re-commits to NZR beyond this year and remains one of New Zealand’s top halfbacks leading into the 2023 World Cup, then he couldn’t see why the No 9 shouldn’t be retained.
Kirwan, however, said NZR could retain two promising young halfbacks for less money than it would cost to try and keep Perenara in New Zealand.
“Wouldn’t TJ cost three times as much? That’s what I’m saying. You could probably buy two young guys for his price.”
Upon the announcement of his sabbatical with the Red Hurricanes last October, Perenara said his sojourn in Japan “doesn’t mean it’s the end for me” in New Zealand.
The Red Hurricanes finished the first stage of the Top League in third place on the White Conference standings with four wins from seven matches.
Now entering the play-offs stage of the competition, the Red Hurricanes will square off against the Honda Heat in the round of 16 next Sunday.
Barrett’s Suntory side will also enjoy a week off before facing either NEC Green Rockets or Toyota Shuttles Industries next Saturday.
Retallick’s Kobelco side, meanwhile, will play either the Mitsubishi Dynaboars or Coca-Cola Red Sparks next weekend.
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
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“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments