Watch: Rough day at the office for Beauden Barrett as he gets strong-armed by Toyota in fierce contest
Since joining the Japan Top League giants Suntory Sungoliath, Beauden Barrett and his star-studded side has coasted to massive wins on the way to a perfect record atop their conference.
They have scored 42 tries and conceded just 7 in piling up a huge for and against, as they put opposition to the sword with cricket scores.
After beating Mitsubishi 75-7, they took care of Honda 31-14, Sanix 75-10, and then former heavyweight Toshiba by 73-5.
Last weekend’s clash with the Toyota Verblitz was the first test for Suntory against another undefeated side and promised to deliver an enthralling contest with the likes of Willie le Roux, Michael Hooper and Kieran Read in the side.
All Black flyhalf Beauden Barrett lined up at 10 for Suntory as his side looked to keep their unbeaten streak alive, but it wasn’t smooth sailing as Toyota put the star recruit under pressure.
Barrett was targetted from Toyota’s first set-piece play with right wing Taichi Takahashi taking a carry at first receiver in order to clatter into the first five’s channel. After high contact, the referee awarded a penalty for Toyota’s first three points.
Nursing a small lead at 12-6, a botch up between second five Ryoto Nakamura and Beauden Barrett caused a set-piece play to break down. The loose pass was hacked ahead and a phase later Toyota scored under the bar to take the lead.
Trying to make amends for the set-piece error, Barrett tried to pressure Toyota as they were attacking deep inside Suntory’s half.
Rushing out of the line to try pull an intercept, he was given the cold shoulder by nearby loosehead prop Shogo Miura, knocking the All Black clean off his feet to prevent him getting near the ball.
Barrett landed awkwardly on his back and could only look on as Willie Le Roux put a deft chip kick over Suntory’s line which was grasped by inside centre Male Sa’u for another Toyota try.
The referees missed the strong-armed tactic on Barrett and allowed the try to stand, making it 21-12 in Toyota’s favour.
In desperate need of some points, starring down the barrel at 26-12, Barrett went to his old bag of tricks to pull out his famed cross-field kick.
Knocking on Toyota’s goal line, Barrett quickly received service from Yukata Nagare in order to take advantage of a weak edge defence out wide.
With a 4-on-2 overlap, Barrett opted to chip kick the ball into the arms of former Highlander Tevita Li, who had the easiest of jobs to do once taking in the cross-kick.
With a sliver of hope, Suntory began to turn it up a notch in their bid to stay undefeated.
Barrett was involved twice in some nice passing in the lead-up to a long range try to Suntory winger Shogo Nakano, orchestrating the plans to cut the deficit to 26-24.
Tevita Li’s second try finally arrested the lead back for the Sungoliath heading into the final fifteen minutes, before another one to flanker Hendrik Tui gave Suntory what looked like the key advantage.
A desperate Toyota were running out of time to close the seven point deficit, but had an opportunity five metres out. From the scrum, they tried to beat Barrett one-on-one but could not break the defence of the two-time World Player of the Year.
Although it would be on the next phase where Suntory would leak the try that would tie the game up at 36-all.
With just 35 seconds remaining, Suntory were gifted a get-out-of-jail free card when Toyota were penalised for holding on about 40-metres out.
Barrett stepped up to the plate to kick the match-winning penalty, giving the All Black the last laugh as they took the spoils by 39-36.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments