Beauden Barrett gives goal-kicking insight after handing tee to Mo'unga

All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett has gone into detail about his up and down efforts from the kicking tee in an interview with Newstalk ZB.

Barrett had been criticised for his kicking after missing several key attempts during the side’s historic loss against South Africa two weeks ago. He recovered to convert all six of his attempts across his last two Tests against Argentina and South Africa, but gave kicking duties to Richie Mo’unga for last weekend’s game-winner against the Springboks.

Mo’unga converted the kick in the 32-30 win after coming off the bench.

“On occasions when I’m perhaps not feeling particularly good about my kicking I can easily hand over the tee and that’s something I’ve been conscious of,” Barrett told Newstalk ZB.

“It’s not something that will happen every test going forward, in fact the last two times I’ve done it I’ve been kicking really well. It’s just about figuring out how it works, and with Richie coming off the bench, he had fresh legs too, so I enjoy going back to fullback and it’s certainly a different perspective and chance to be a driver of the team from the back.

“From a leadership point of view it was also quite good to be able to help Rieko [Ioane] and Ben Smith in those huddles while Richie was kicking.”

Barrett also said that while first-five is his preferred position he is happy to shift to fullback later in games.

“Every game is different and it’s something we’ll look at when the team is named. Before the [Argentina] game we hadn’t had a plan around what-ifs, or the guy coming off the bench potentially taking over, so it’s important that everyone’s prepared.

“I feel most comfortable as a number 10, but starting in that position and going to the back – I enjoy that too. I prefer to be in the first-five eighth position but I’m really just happy to be on the field.”

Barrett and the All Blacks will next play in two weeks time when they meet Australia in Japan for the third Bledisloe Test.

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