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Have faith, Beauden Barrett will show up for the All Blacks when it matters
By Ben Smith
Beauden Barrett’s form matters as much as today’s weather in six month’s time as far as the All Blacks are concerned.
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There is no need to fall victim to the prisoner of the moment, short-term view that somehow one of the all-time greats at 32 years old will miss this year’s World Cup.
Skills don’t disappear overnight, neither does experience. This is a 100-Test All Black with a body that, touch wood, rarely gets injured.
There have been the head knocks, but no knees or serious muscles injuries which is an incredible feat in itself to stay healthy.
Barrett’s engine needs a tune up in September to peak in November, not April. Until then he should be cruising along at half speed to stay fresh and keep a low mileage.
Against the Hurricanes in early March he made a grand total of 0 tackles from 0 attempts, which from New Zealand Rugby’s point of view was perfect.
There is no need to burn out or injure one of the All Blacks’ most important players before it really matters.
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Ireland have made the smart decision. Johnny Sexton’s boots will barely touch grass until the World Cup following the Six Nations Grand Slam.
It would be wise to put Barrett and a host of others on ice too, but there is a Rugby Championship to get through and NZR can’t completely destroy Super Rugby Pacific.
Barrett can be trusted to find form when it matters as he has been through this before.
Following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, where Barrett won two man-of-the-match awards against South Africa and Ireland at fullback, he went on extended leave.
He wasn’t supposed to play in New Zealand in 2020 but the pandemic disrupted those plans.
He turned up to the Blues lighter than before and got himself on the pitch but he didn’t tear teams apart like he used to.
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There were classy touches but he looked on the wrong side of 30 for the first time. His form with the All Blacks was similar. Still good, but not the player that everyone was used to.
Then he went to Japan.
He came back from his stint with the Suntory Sungoliath after re-finding his running game, with an extra gear of speed that had been missing. He put back on more muscle and bolstered his frame again.
He went straight back into Test rugby with the All Blacks and won back the starting 10 role with Mo’unga taking extended leave.
Against South Africa on the Gold Coast he skinned Handre Pollard with pace and set up one of the tries of the season to Ardie Savea.
In his 100th Test he bagged two predatory intercept tries in a 50-point thrashing against Wales.
His head knock derailed the Ireland test early, which the All Blacks went on to lose, and he was absent for next week’s crushing defeat against France.
In 2022 the Blues went on a 15-game winning streak with Barrett back at 10 running hard at the line and breaking tackles once again.
Barrett will peak when it matters, which is when the All Blacks play France in pool play and likely one of Ireland or South Africa in a quarter-final.
The whispers are Galthie’s World Cup plan involves France kicking everything and running high line, outside-in rush defence like South Africa in 2019.
If France want to play like South Africa that is music to Barrett’s ears. He has a 12-3-1 record in All Blacks teams that have played the Springboks.
From Ellis Park in 2013, Durban in 2016, the 57-0 slaughtering in 2017, to the 2019 pool match in Japan, his fingerprints have been all over those results. He has unequivocally been the Boks’ daddy.
France too, have copped it from the All Blacks with Barrett playing. He has never lost a Test match to France, winning eight from eight.
Those big physical teams don’t want to see Barrett on the field. They will want to kick to him even less so.
The old adage is cliche but must be repeated: form is temporary, class is permanent.
Don’t worry about Beauden Barrett’s form in Super Rugby Pacific. When the All Blacks need him, he’ll be there.
The guy is a natural playmaker and it is a well known fact that he prefers to be in that possie! ~ He is a gifted player and as you have probably noticed over the years, he has a superb head for knowing what to do next, and woe to any team that leaves that ''gap open in front of him'' as he will go through it like a rocket and he has exceptional wheels also I have seen the figures for his ''over 100 metres time'' but can't remember exactly u bsut it's ''up there! ~ You'd know also that he has an educated kicking of all types Boot also, and he doesn't need to be concerned in any Test because his youngest Bro' Jordie takes very good care of that! ~ I'm not sure of Foster and Co's plan for him, as there's a plethora of truly brilliant guys who can and do play that inside back possie so very well, so he will have a bit of competition but as a guess, I doubt very much they'll put someone else in there, with a record such as his! What you will see is a backline of varying capabilities right across the Park, and the scrum speaks for itself! ~ I wouldn't go as far as suggesting they will take this Tourney out, but I will say, that they are after it and will be up there when it matters! The All Blacks have an overall fabulous recorrd in Test Rugby and they never ever use the word LOSE!!! ~ All of the form of any Team though goes out the window when the game starts, with the Dreadful laws/rules ands a stickler Referee WILL come into p play! REgardless of how well any Team plays, the majority of games will be disrupted by incessant screaming of that whistle!
So he has a free walk into the team???
Ben I'm an All Black supporter but I am also a Blues supporter so I take exception to you saying that it doesn't matter at the the moment. I expect him to be performing at his best now and so do the Blues who have shelled out alot of money for him.
Your attitude really grates me because I do not subscribe to the theory that all that matters is the World Cup. If you asked me what I would rather see this year I would take a Blues title over a world cup victory (though both would be nice).
I love the AB's and have been supporting them for close to 50 years but the absolute obsession of them to the detriment of everything else must stop. ,Players need to step up for their franchises as much as for the AB's
We have seen the take it easy approach with those going on leave of absence for training camp. Legends, but it didn't work. AB's have learnt how to not start games with a slow pace. It will be the same for the world cup. Bear in mind pool round is a good pre curser to finals. But don't take the risk of not being ready. Just make sure the the boys are ready for the world cup!
Amusing to see the Oppoasition from everywhere, bagging the hell out of the All Blacks in general and Beauden Barrett in particular! ~ It indicates to most that these baggers are a tad concerned about the W?C and are having a good old''let's rubbish Beauden" session, they know sweet fanny about the make up of the very good Teams because rest assured Beauden Barrett will be totally relaxed knowing that people are talking about him, ~ he knows this as it goes on all the time but the cool Customer within chooses to bat it all away as he's had that rubbish all his All Black career! ~ Don't worry your Rugby nuts off as one B>Barrett WILL be at the World CUP! Player of the Year twice and nominated umpteen times, and you jolly Northern Boys are rubbishing the guy!
Hahaha....we wish Ben but BB has not grown or developed (you can argue that he has regressed) in the last 5 years. It is not a 2023 issue, it is a long term issue.
Rubbish..