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There are only so many former glories that All Blacks selectors can cling to

Beauden Barrett started 10 of New Zealand's 13 Tests l;ast year at No 10, but has not hit top form for Blues in Super Rugby (Photo Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images)
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I think we’d all agree that Beauden Barrett will be in the first All Blacks test squad of the season. Just as, we’d also have to admit he probably has no business being in the team anymore.

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It’s weird when you think about it.

The justifications for continuing to pick Barrett are obvious: talent, experience, leadership. The guy has been a fixture in the squad since 2012 and often justifiably so.

At various times, Barrett has been the best and most influential player in the world, wowing all and sundry with his audacity and skill.

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Back in the days when I worked in daily journalism, I’d turn up to games early just to watch Barrett warm up. He was just such a great athlete, with the ball on a string, and invariably the first player out of the dressing room.

While others applied bits of tape or checked their hair in the mirror, Barrett would be chipping and regathering the ball from one end of the field to the other.

Only it’s been a long time since I set foot in a pressbox and almost as long since Barrett was the best first five-eighth in the world.

Time was when All Blacks of significance didn’t get to retire on their terms. There were no swansongs, no final cracks at the Rugby World Cup title.

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You were picked for as long as you were the best player in your position, and then dumped once you were not.

Ask Wayne Shelford how that felt, or John Kirwan. 

Now’s the time to be getting as much Test rugby into Ruben Love at 10 as possible.

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Barrett has had his go, Damian McKenzie too. They’ve been brilliant and popular players, but have also presided over an era of comparative All Black decline.

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For all their flair and the quality of their individual highlight reels, test teams have tamed them. There’s no disgrace in that.

But this idea that we keep picking them and picking them – and crossing our fingers that this time it’ll work –  is insanity. A different coach, tweaks in the supporting cast, none have altered the fact that Barrett and McKenzie have been found wanting when New Zealand really needed them.

Under Scott Robertson, the remedy appeared to be Richie Mo’unga. Never mind the fact that he’s never commanded the Test stage; the thinking was that he suddenly could, despite years of semi-retirement in Japan.

Yet we all expect Barrett and McKenzie to be among the 34-players announced in the All Blacks’ squad on Monday, with Mo’unga to join the fray at the earliest possible opportunity.

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I love that Dave Rennie is now the All Blacks coach and I’m full of praise for the support staff he’s assembled around him. I believe Rennie’s All Blacks will be the best prepared since Wayne Smith was still around.

And, because we’re optimists by nature, we think that’ll suddenly change everything. That players such as Barrett and McKenzie, who’ve consistently underwhelmed when it counts, will return to being or magically become the world-beaters we’d all like them to be.

Look, McKenzie is a sensational Super Rugby player, and I’d expect him to lead the Chiefs to victory over the Hurricanes in Saturday’s final. It’s just that his dominance at that level has never extended to the Test arena.

Barrett, meanwhile, has done next to nothing for the Blues this season, or in Super Rugby in general for years now. He’s either on sabbatical in Japan or, if he is here, seemingly disinterested in the competition he’s playing in.

There are only so many former glories that selectors can cling to.

We don’t yet know if Love’s any good, and that’s kind of the problem while Barrett and McKenzie are around. The safer option is always to shield the new kid from elite opposition and rely on the tried and tested instead.

The All Blacks deal in excellence, or at least they used to. World Cup wins represent success, near misses failure.

We’ve tried Barrett and McKenzie for so long now it isn’t funny. They’ve been tried all right; it’s just that, unfortunately – by the standards we used to hold All Black teams to – they’ve failed.

But, hey, let’s roll them out for another test campaign and see if it works this time.

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4 Comments
j
johnz 23 mins ago

I haven’t always been a fan of DMac at test level, but that’s mainly as a fullback. The unfortunate truth for the couragous little guy, is he’s just too small at international level.


He is a very decent 10, however. His game last week was a masterclass, and I think he was discarded too early by Razor and co, just as he was finding his feet at pivot.


To say he’s finished is a bit strong I suggest.


I agree Barrett is done, and absolutely Love needs to be invested in big time. But DMac still has a role to play and looks the more self assured of the two right now.


I worry about Love’s composure under pressure - his talent is undeniable. This weeks final will be a great reveal on that front, and a season under Enoka and Rennie should do him wonders.


It’s a bit out of context to say RM never commanded at test level. We can’t forget many of his appearances were during Foster’s failed dual playmaker system, where the game plan was something along the lines of: Barrett is struggling against rush defence, let’s rejig the backline to suit Barrett better.


RM was never fully entrusted with the keys to drive the car. At the WC he was good - he probably left just when he was establishing himself as the game driver. Otherwise he was always in that man Barrett’s large shadow.

j
jh 1 hr ago

Richie has never set the world on fire as an AB , DMac has never been allowed to play his style of rugby in the ABs, he has rescued the ABs, remember Scotland, Maybe Rennie will allow him to play his natural way

G
GP 1 hr ago

Dave Rennie wants Richie Mo’unga back in the fold, just like Scott Robertson did. He was picked in the tournament team at the end of the 2023 World Cup. Richie’s play for the Crusaders in the 7 title run 2017-23, was often worth the price of admission. He was mucked around with in the 2019-23 period at AB level.

O
Over the sideline 1 hr ago

Mounga? He was average at test level. Never ever cemented hs spot and always failed in the big moments.

HEs older than Dmac ffs. Dmac, under a DECENT COACH will succeed. Seems Jonno Gibbs can coach a game plan Razor failed at for 2 years.

For the 3 tests coming up I definately see BB in the squad. I’d hate to get to a gameday injury situation for either Love or Dmac and only have Jacomb in the squad as a replacement but Jacomb HAS to get time in SA. If they could name Dmac as a 15 for this first squad then hav Jacomb for Italy

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