'We just couldn't not have him on the park': Another Barrett excelling in a different position
All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan nearly burnt through all available adjectives when explaining Scott Barrett’s selection at blindside flanker for Saturday’s Twickenham test.
Primarily used at lock, Barrett’s excursions in the six jersey have left a lasting impression on his coaches, so much so that the middle Barrett brother has won the starting role over tough competition in Shannon Frizzel and Akira Ioane.
Selection for the final and most highly anticipated game of the All Blacks’ 2022 Northern Tour is no mean feat, but as Jason Ryan reported on The Platform, Barrett’s recent form has been too hot to sideline.
“Scott Barrett comes in at six because he’s been just phenomenal in his ball carrying and his work rate,” Ryan said. “We just couldn’t not have him on the park.
“The test matches are won in big physical encounters and Scott Barrett is an unbelievable athlete; he’s powerful, he’s unbelievably tough and he just has to be in the pack. It’s quite simple.
Barrett started the All Blacks’ last test against England at blindside flanker, in a game many kiwi fans would rather forget as the New Zealand side were thoroughly dismantled at the hands 0f Eddie Jones’ men and consequently forced to watch the World Cup final from their hotel.
While physicality played a significant role in that last match, Ryan was confident his selected loose forwards trio had the all-round game to match the English and Barrett’s many talents were key in that.
“I think it’s a mixture of everything. He’s got (an) unbelievable lineout skillset, obviously with how he jumps and not only what he (does) around our mauling, both attack and defence but he’s also got really good lineout knowledge, so he’s really good on formation and lineout defence.
“So we believe that (will be) instrumental in against an England side that have got some good variation in their lineout platforms.
“Along with that, I guess it was important that, you know, we really want to start Guzzler (Brodie Retallick) for his 100th test, alongside Sam (Whitelock), so we needed the best we’ve got and the most experienced pack that we could pick and we believe we’ve done that.
“It’s also very exciting that we can bring someone like Shannon Frizzel and Hoskins (Sotutu) who are really good ball carriers and that’s what we are going to need, and even Soni (Samisoni Taukei’aho) finishing the game, that’s where we need to have real impact because we believe we made some inroads in that Scotland game where our bench was right where it needed to be and that’s what we want from the All Black team, finishing games.”
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments