Where the Hurricanes plan to play Jordie Barrett this season
Jordie Barrett is one of the most talented rugby players in New Zealand, as he has the ability to play almost any position in the backline at a world-class level.
But after a standout end-of-season tour with the All Blacks last year, Barrett has seemingly found himself a home in the No. 12 jersey.
With this year’s Rugby World Cup in France less than seven months away, the 25-year-old is set to line up at inside centre throughout Super Rugby Pacific.
Barrett has played inside centre for the Hurricanes before, and has been the star player for the team for quite some time.
But ahead of this year’s World Cup, the responsibility that rests on his shoulders just seems different.
Lining up in the midfield, Barrett will embody his role as the nation’s premier No. 12 – and will carry the expectation and pressure that comes with that belief.
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland has confirmed that Barrett has been training in the midfield throughout the preseason, and will play there “unless other circumstances force him” out.
“We will play him wherever he’s needed,” Holland told Weekend Sport with Jason Pine. “He’ll play whatever is best for the team any given week.
“He’s training for 12 at the moment for us mainly so he’s probably a midfielder in our eyes at the moment unless other circumstances force him to play out the back.
“We pretty much do whatever we think is the best thing for the boys, and there’s nothing coming from Fossie or that crew to say ‘you have to play anybody anywhere.’
“They’ve obviously got their preference around where they see guys and maybe we’re a bit closer together in our thinking now around Jordie.
“We can do what we want but we’ll continue to have conversations with the All Blacks coaches.”
For a lot of teams, replacing a player of Barrett’s calibre would be both an intimidating and impossible task. But not for the Hurricanes.
Coach Holland has identified rising stars Josh Moorby and Ruben Love as two “pretty good contenders” to start at fullback.
Moorby has only played about 10 Super Rugby matches for the Hurricanes, but his ceiling appears to be limitless. The 24-year-old made his debut for the Maori All Blacks against Ireland last July.
As for Ruben Love, he’s been identified as a potential All Blacks World Cup bolter by Jason Holland.
“Just be down to form. The beauty of us playing Jordie at 12… there’s definitely not a hole there in the calibre of player we can fill that hole with,” he added.
“(Moorby) had a pretty special first season in Super Rugby last year, and we know what Rubes can do and we’ve seen him do that for Wellington in the recent NPC.
“Like anything, whoever is getting the job done will earn the right to wear the jersey. Two pretty good contenders.”
Playmaker Ruben Love played a crucial role in the Wellington Lions’ NPC triumph last year, and also earnt representative honours with the All Blacks XV and Maori All Blacks.
Holland has previously suggested that Love will play regular minutes for the Canes at No. 15, but will have to overcome an early season injury in order to make his mark.
“I think Rubes is really enjoying 15, that little bit of time and space and still being help drive the game and manage the game from there.
“Rubes has actually got a little niggly injury at the moment which is going to keep him out of the first couple of weeks of the Super Rugby (season).
“When he comes back in and gets going again, he’s probably a 15 option that can play 10 at the moment.”
The Hurricanes begin their Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a trip across the Tasman, where they’ll face the Queensland Reds in Townsville.
Comments on RugbyPass
Aha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
85 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to comments