Why All Blacks star Scott Barrett is about to go to new level for the Crusaders
By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald
At 26 years old and with 36 test caps, new Crusaders captain Scott Barrett is about to take his game to the next level this season and beyond.
Well, he will if the man he is replacing – Sam Whitelock – is any guide. Whitelock’s leadership will be missed at the Crusaders during his season in Japan – not to mention his unique skills and grunt – but coach Scott Robertson has shown time and again over the past three years that he is capable of bringing the best out of his players and the captaincy should serve to help this with Barrett.
Whitelock will return to New Zealand for the July test series against Wales and Scotland and is in the running along with Chiefs loose forward Sam Cane to be the next All Blacks skipper. If he gets the job Barrett may well keep the captaincy of the Crusaders in order to lighten the load a little as happened with Richie McCaw and Kieran Read, both of whom relinquished the Crusaders captaincy when given what is seen as one of the most important jobs in the country.
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Robertson appointed Whitelock as his captain when he took over in 2017 and the big lock, already a consistent performer for the red and blacks, thrived. He has always been known to have an excellent rugby brain but his natural ability to know when an opposing team was vulnerable and when to make a slightly more defensive decision probably surprised even his closest advisors.
Whitelock’s excellent decision-making, along with that of his significant helpers Read, Ryan Crotty and Matt Todd, all of whom have now departed, was a common thread running through the team’s incredible run of success over the past three years.
Barrett’s added responsibility should help an already consistent and highly-motivated individual raise his game in similar fashion, and, with Brodie Retallick away on sabbatical for the rest of the year, it could set him up for a standout year in the black jersey.
Barrett had a mixed year in 2019, with a finger injury keeping him out of the Super Rugby final and a red card against the Wallabies in Perth a big reason for one of the All Blacks’ worst ever Bledisloe Cup defeats.
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The gamble of playing him at blindside flanker against England in the World Cup semifinal backfired badly but all of those setbacks are likely to sharpen his focus as he helps his team in their attempt to win a remarkable four titles in a row.
Their mission starts today with a match in Nelson against the Waratahs.
Robertson said this week that most of his departed players had kept in touch with the team, including Whitelock, who was eager to be kept up to speed.
“They send messages and make sure everyone’s okay,” Robertson said. “Sam’s a good man, I wouldn’t call him a control freak but he likes to know what’s going on. Scooter has been outstanding – he’s slipped straight into the role.
“He’s a quiet leader, he’ll chip in where he needs to. We have a lot of voices. We have two vice-captains in David Havili and Codie Taylor who will be exceptional for him, they’ll give him a good balance. His leading will be in his performances on the field.”
Crusaders team to play the Waratahs at Nelson’s Trafalgar Park on Saturday, kick-off 7.05pm is: 15. David Havili, 14. Will Jordan, 13. Braydon Ennor, 12. Jack Goodhue, 11. Leicester Faingaanuku, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 9. Mitchell Drummond, 8. Whetukamokamo Douglas, 7. Tom Christie, 6. Tom Sanders, 5. Mitchell Dunshea, 4. Scott Barrett (c), 3. Oliver Jager, 2. Andrew Makalio, 1. George Bower.
Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor 17. Isi Tu’ungafasi 18. Michael Alaalatoa 19. Luke Romano 20. Cullen Grace 21. Bryn Hall 22. Brett Cameron 23. Sevu Reece.
Waratahs: 15. Kurtley Beale, 14. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13. Lalakai Foketi, 12. Karmichael Hunt, 11. Alex Newsome, 10. Will Harrison, 9. Jake Gordon, 8. Jed Holloway, 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Lachlan Swinton, 5. Rob Simmons (c), 4. Tom Staniforth, 3. Tetera Faulkner, 2. Robert Abel, 1. Tom Robertson.
Reserves: 16. Damien Fitzpatrick, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Chris Talakai, 19. Ryan Mccauley, 20. Jack Dempsey, 21. Carlo Tizzano, 22. Mitch Short, 23. Jack Maddocks.
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
4 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
27 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
5 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
5 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
27 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
20 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
27 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
27 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
27 Go to comments