You would have to assume Beauden Barrett was being respectful to the precarious nature of being an All Black rather than hinting at imminent retirement when he told reporters you never know when you could be playing your last Test.
The subject came up because Barrett had been visibly and abnormally emotional when singing the national anthem before the second Test against France.
“Oh, did you notice? Yes, oh, no, it is emotional,” Barrett said when he was asked about it.
“I guess I never really know when it’s going to be my last Test, so, yeah, every time I get the chance to play, especially with a brother on my side, that gets me emotional.”
No great player ever wants to be asked to leave the arena and maybe that’s a fear gripping Barrett.
He’ll be 35 next May, and as he said after the 43-17 victory in Wellington: “It takes a lot of effort these days to play Test rugby.”
Was he suggesting he doesn’t have the mental capacity to keep pushing himself as hard as he is to get ready to play at this level? Is he worried he’s going to run out of juice – mental and physical – before the 2027 World Cup, and he’d like to control his exit from the All Blacks?
Go out on his own terms when he’s still wowing audiences as a player whose talents everyone still wants to see?
I have to consider my family, my performance and my desire. That is ultimately what it will come down to and whether I want to be here, and if that fire is still burning inside of me.
His comment about the effort required aligned with something he told the NZ Herald last year: “I am one season at a time right now.
“I am committed to New Zealand, but there is no guarantee I will make it that far.
“The desire is still there to give it a crack, but I have to consider my family, my performance and my desire.
“That is ultimately what it will come down to and whether I want to be here, and if that fire is still burning inside of me.
“My body is good, head is good, heart is good, family is happy. If my performance is good, and I’m being picked [by the All Blacks] then one year leads to another and before you know it the World Cup is one year away, and you have a chance.”
Most likely Barrett was just being deferential to the jersey he has now worn 136 times. The All Blacks will have to hope so because they need him not only now, and for the rest of this year – but for the remainder of this World Cup cycle.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson spent the first half of last year unsure about Barrett’s value and how to best use him, but by the last seven Tests of the year, he had a clear picture in his mind.
From starting 2024 as an impact player off the bench, to playing at full-back, Barrett finished the season as the All Blacks’ undisputed first-choice 10.
It’s his preferred home and after the way he has started 2025, it is his natural home, too.
Barrett hasn’t quite wound the clock back to his vintage years of 2016-2018, but he’s been decisive, calm, controlled and accurate in his two Tests so far this year.
In Dunedin, he was the steady hand that pulled the right strings – but his team-mates couldn’t capitalise because of some sloppy finishing – and in Wellington, he was masterful at turning the French around and forcing them to scramble to no great effect.
This is something that will surely be on Barrett’s radar – a unique opportunity to be in the Republic and take on an old-school schedule that will involve midweek games and generate enormous hype.
Barrett’s full kicking repertoire was on show – a clever short chip to Ardie Savea on the charge, some wobbling grubbers between defenders and the spiral bomb – all of which intensified the pressure on the French.
He just seems to be in a good place – relaxed and confident and loving the responsibility of being the backline general.
His form for the Blues in the final weeks of Super Rugby was outstanding, and he’s carried that into the All Blacks where his passing game has been more fluid than it has been in years, his option-taking more assured and his game management more mature.
He’s bringing Robertson’s All Blacks to life and while the World Cup is more than two years away, there are several big challenges on the horizon to keep Barrett hooked through to 2027. If he is thinking about controlling his exit before the end of his contract that year, he’ll struggle to pick a good time to make it because there are just so many temptations to stay.
There’s a huge series against the Springboks looming in September when the 50-Test unbeaten run at Eden Park will be on the line, and then there is a Grand Slam tour itinerary in November – providing Barrett (and the whole squad) with the chance to do something they haven’t done before by defeating Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales on consecutive November weekends.
But the biggest carrots are next year when the All Blacks will embark on a seven-week, four-Test tour of South Africa. This is something that will surely be on Barrett’s radar – a unique opportunity to be in the Republic and take on an old-school schedule that will involve midweek games and generate enormous hype.
The inaugural Nations Championship will also start next year so there’s enough in the interim to keep Barrett engaged and make him think when he reaches the end of this year, there’s every reason to keep going.
And no doubt the coaches will be telling him that because he brings an astute understanding of game management no other 10 does.
It’s not that the coaching panel have given up on Damian McKenzie becoming a world class fly-half, they just know the team has a better balance and potency to it when Barrett runs the attack.
Also, they like what McKenzie brings off the bench, and if there was one major lesson Robertson took out of 2024, it was the need to have all 23 players making a contribution.
McKenzie is being groomed more now as an impact player, but also someone who can start a test at 10 should Barrett ever be unavailable. That’s why he’ll pick up the occasional start this year at fly-half – as a chance to keep his hand in – and to build his experience so that should Barrett fall over, he is well prepared to step in.
Mo’unga is experienced, talented and he’d be motivated, but he will have limited time to adjust to the pace of Test rugby and embed himself in an All Blacks side unrecognisable to the one he last played for in the 2023 World Cup final.
The prospect of Ruben Love making a bid to usurp Barrett at 10 doesn’t seem likely either. Love played half a Super Rugby campaign at fly-half for the Hurricanes and impressed with his maturity and all-round skill-set.
But All Blacks assistant coach, Jason Holland, who gave Love his first Super Rugby taste (at 10) says the 24-year-old is being viewed more as a full-back at this stage.
“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes with our young guys about game management in general, whether that is 10 or 15, and Ruben is a great student and he is learning really quickly,” said Holland.
“Position-wise I think probably 15 at the moment but he is quite capable of jumping into play 10 in a Test match.”
Love’s only cap to date came on the wing when he played there against Japan last year, but Holand added: “In fairness to Rubes to have him at hiss absolute best, I think he is a 15 or 10.”
The only other option at 0 is Richie Mo’unga, but he has made no firm commitment about whether he will return to New Zealand after his contract with Toshiba ends next year.
Even if he does come home in June, unless he is granted an exemption from New Zealand Rugby’s board, he won’t be available for the All Blacks until November – as he has to play in the preceding domestic competition (NPC) to be eligible for selection.
He’s experienced, talented and he’d be motivated, but he will have limited time to adjust to the pace of Test rugby and embed himself in an All Blacks side unrecognisable to the one he last played for in the 2023 World Cup final.
If Barrett did decide he can’t keep going after this year, the All Blacks would cope. But there is no doubt they will be a better team, and better placed to win the World Cup, if they can keep their veteran playmaker for the next two-and-a-bit years.
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