'So reckless': Another red card dished out to 'recidivist' Scott Barrett
Against the Blues on Friday evening, Scott Barrett became the third All Blacks to be sent off in a Super Rugby Pacific match in four weeks, following in the footsteps of Nepo Laulala and Caleb Clarke.
While Clarke’s reckless play – the winger jumping to charge down a kick from Moana Pasifika’s Tomasi Alosio but clattering into his head in the process – was widely chalked up as carelessness, few had any complaints with Lauala’s sending off, which was a result of the prop shouldering the head of Fine Inisi during a ruck clear-out, and some were even asking for an extended ban for the 40-test All Black.
Both Clarke and Laulala were handed three-week bans, however, and it appears likely that Barrett will face a similar sanction after a reckless tackle in Friday’s defeat at the hands of the Blues.
Barrett’s indiscretion occurred shortly after halftime with the Crusaders captain’s shoulder connecting with Blues prop Alex Hodgman’s jaw while attempting to floor the 2020 test debutant. Hodgman – who was already being held by two other Crusaders players.
It only took a quick check with the TMO for Mike Fraser to conclude that a red card was the obvious punishment for the hit and the Crusaders were reduced to 14 men for the next 20 minutes while Hodgman also had to leave the field.
Just moments later, Blues hooker Kurt Eklund crashed over from a driving maul to take the Blues out to a 24-10 lead and it was that try that ultimately proved the difference in the match, with the Crusaders scoring one late to bring themselves with touching distance of their opposition, but they weren’t able to do enough to nab the win.
Barrett has begun to develop a reputation for similarly careless (at best) acts, and was also sent off against the Wallabies in 2019 for a similar hit on Michael Hooper.
Fans were very much unimpressed with Barrett for the foolish tackle – especially given the understandable crackdown that referees have launched on dangerous play in recent times – and took to social media to vent their frustrations.
Scott Barrett is a recidivist thug. He got away with it last week, but not now
— Sports Freak (@Sportsfreakconz) April 15, 2022
Scott Barrett and red cards…. Name a more iconic duo.#CRUvBLU
— Stephen Gallagher (@SWTGallagher) April 15, 2022
Oh dear that’s Scott Barrett isn’t it, definitely a red, so reckless.#CRUvBLU
— Julia (@JuliaTempler) April 15, 2022
Scott Barrett loves a red card. Probably loves them even more they're only 20 minutes long #CRUvBLU
— Rhys Knott (@wrhys_writes) April 15, 2022
Even a Sanzaar referee gives that challenge by Scott Barrett a red. It was that bad. Deliberate.
— Dylan Jack (@dylmjack) April 15, 2022
Yet again Scott Barrett is reckless in the tackle ….. he's going to hurt someone bad one day …. #CRUvBLU
— Ballyshonog NZ (@BallyshonogNz) April 15, 2022
https://twitter.com/Runningflyhalf/status/1514879891661012997
Scott Barrett is a grub. His red card should be followed by a 6 week suspension.
— sumich (@sumich) April 15, 2022
Barrett’s inevitable suspension will further trouble the Crusaders’ locking depth.
Although Sam Whitelock is expected to be back next weekend after breaking his finger against the Chiefs earlier in the season, the Crusaders have also lost Mitch Dunshea for the season and Quinten Strange for up to eight weeks. Ironically, one man who could have stepped in to help – former All Black Luke Romano – transferred to the Blues this season and was a top performer in Friday night’s clash.
That likely means plenty more game time for rookie locks Zach Gallagher and Dominic Gardiner.
The Crusaders are next set to play in Melbourne against the Rebels next Sunday.
Comments on RugbyPass
Yip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
1 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
4 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
114 Go to comments