1
Beauden Barrett's epic response after being steamrolled by Springbok captain Jean de Villiers
By Sam Smith
The final round clash of the 2013 Rugby Championship between the Springboks and the All Blacks at Ellis Park will forever be remembered as one of the greatest test matches, and was called ‘the game of 2013’ at the time.
ADVERTISEMENT
The All Blacks were five wins from five matches with 23 competition points but the Rugby Championship title had not been secured. They needed a sole competition point to capture their second straight Championship title.
The Springboks with four wins from five and were in with a shot if they could manage a bonus point win and prevent the All Blacks from scoring four tries or a losing bonus point.
The All Blacks finished 38-27 winners in an epic back-and-forth encounter that saw two incredible tries to wing Bryan Habana in the first half, but the story of the match belonged to a young Beauden Barrett.
Playing in just his 13th test match, the reserve All Black flyhalf came on for Aaron Cruden early in the second half after 48th minutes with the Springboks leading 22-21.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers turned Barrett into a ‘speedbump’ in the 57th minute as the midfielder brutally ran over the top of the young No 10, before also breaking through the grasp of Ma’a Nonu to score an incredible try.
Beauden Barrett… Jean de Villiers says that bus is full!! #Boks
— Dean Kietzmann (@DeanKietzmann) October 5, 2013
Beauden Barrett must have attended the Danny Cipriani school of speedbumps
— Will Slattery (@slatterywill) October 5, 2013
Prime Saffa brawn on show there. Such power from De Villiers. Good try by Cousint Barrett as well.
— Shane Kenny (@alrightcus) October 5, 2013
Beauden Barrett just got steamrolled. De Villiers Style.
— Jack Hampton (@JackHampton97) October 5, 2013
That Jean de Villiers try reminded me a bit of Jonah vs England at Newlands I think it was. Mike Catt would remember #SAvsNZ
— Marcelle Gordon (@MarcelleGordon) October 5, 2013
Beauden Barrett just got steamrollered by Jean de Villiers like he wasn’t even there. Incredible strength.
— Stewart Hogarth (@HogeyBear92) October 5, 2013
De Villiers try, the Boks’ fourth of the game, gave the Springboks a 27-24 lead which kept their slim Rugby Championship hopes alive with the four-try bonus point secured.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, Barrett’s revenge didn’t take long as the ‘golden boy’ came up with one of his signature career moments.
The fleet-footed speedster put De Villiers on ice skates, side-stepping him before fending through the cover tackle of Morne Steyn. Once he was into the backfield, he burned past the cover defence of fullback Zane Kirchner to score under the posts.
Barrett’s solo try gave the All Blacks the all-important four-try bonus point to secure the Rugby Championship title.
What a try that was, Mick Jagger’s moves have nothing on Beauden Barrett’s…
— Stuart Riley (@StuartRileyRP) October 5, 2013
Beauden Barrett responds to getting steamrolled by de Villiers by scoring the try which secures the #RugbyChampionship for NZ
— Tom Jackson (@JacksonTC) October 5, 2013
#RugbyChampionship ~ Beauden Barrett, the ABs 5th choice #10 (kidding) waltzes, skips & dazzles. Boks clutch thin air. ABs lead 31-27 (61′)
— Daz Smith (@DazMSmith) October 5, 2013
Beauden Barrett makes up for his slack defence to score New Zealand’s bonus point try – and in so doing seals The Rugby Championship for NZ!
— Bontie (@TheBontie) October 5, 2013
Beautiful. Springboks get 4 tries, a minute later Beauden Barrett like a knife through butter gets the ABs 4th to secure the championship.
— Andy Pickering (@AndyPickeringNZ) October 5, 2013
Love it. De Villiers plows Barrett to score, then Barrett side-steps De Villiers to return the favour. #AllBlacks #RSAvNZL #Springboks
— Not Sir Graham Henry (@SirGrahamHenry) October 5, 2013
Barrett’s impressive cameo didn’t end there however, as he then came up with one of the best try-saving tackles on Willie le Roux with less than four minutes remaining.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Springbok right wing took an intercept with the All Blacks deep on attack and a long foot race ensued.
It did not seem like Barrett would hunt Le Roux down, but a perfectly timed ankle tap forced Le Roux to put a toe on the sideline and void the try.
NO TRY!!! A try saver from Beauden Barrett stops Willie Le Roux right before the line, SIMPLY AMAZING!!! #NZvSA
— Siale Langi (@sting_langi) October 5, 2013
Beauden Barrett just made a tackle that is worth more than any try. Most man would of given up.
— Grrr McGee (@D_Grr) October 5, 2013
Great defensive work by Barrett. Heroic stuff since the missed tackle on De Villiers. #TheRugbyChampionship #RSAvNZL
— Davin Lassiter (@MisterLassiter) October 5, 2013
Le Roux’s try would have given the Springboks a chance in the final minutes to win the game, but the ‘no try’ left too much work to do to chase down the All Blacks 38-27 lead.
“We had to dig really deep. There was a hell of a lot of running, add the yellow cards and all the travel. It’s very satisfying,” McCaw said after the game.
Springboks head coach Heyneke Meyer put the blame on his side’s defence which cost South Africa a big victory at home.
“They didn’t score from our mistakes as usual, they scored from poor defence. The boys are shattered. We really wanted to win this,” said Meyer.
“We had to be really accurate defensively and we weren’t. The defining moment was the missed Kieran Read tackle towards the end.”
“They didn’t score from our mistakes, as usual, they scored from the poor defense. The boys are shattered. We really wanted to win this,” said Meyer. Meyer was the k@kkest Springbok coach EVER