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Reports that All Black star Beauden Barrett has agreed £780,000-a-year move to Japan

All Black Beauden Barrett. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Fresh reports today suggest that All Blacks and Blues superstar back Beauden Barrett has agreed a lucrative deal to play for Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.

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Reports in the Daily Mail today say that the 29-year-old All Black has agreed a multi-million pound move to the Top League as the exodus of players to Japan continues.

The two-time World Player of the Year is currently playing his rugby for the Blues in New Zealand, with strong performances in the first three rounds of the competition.

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Carter joins Blues

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Carter joins Blues

However, reports suggest he will not represent the All Blacks for two years, as the New Zealand Rugby Union agreed to the deal to help ease the financial strain of COVID-19.

The Sportsmail article is reporting that Barrett will earn NZ $1.5m per season while he is in Japan, which would make him one of the highest-paid players in the world.

In 2019, Barrett confirmed that he would stay with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) until 2023.

Part of Barrett’s new contract with the Blues stipulated that he also has an option to take a short playing break in Japan sometime over the next four years, with any break to be negotiated with NZR and the Blues. It would appear that the former Hurricanes star is now taking this opportunity.

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Japan is fast becoming the premier choice for some of the top rugby players in the world with lucrative deals in this area.

Here is a list of just some of the big players in this league during the 2019-2020 season.

  • Dan Carter – Kobe Steel
  • Samu Kerevi – Suntory Sungoliath
  • Matt Giteau – Suntory Sungoliath
  • David Pocock – Wild Knights
  • Kieran Read – Toyota Verblitz
  • Wille le Roux – Toyota Verblitz
  • Malcom Marx – Hino Red Dolphins
  • Duane Vermeulen – Kubota Spears

Manu Tuilagi was confirmed to have left Leicester Tigers late yesterday evening, and transfer rumours suggest that the England centre could also be heading towards Japan in the not so distant future.

 

 

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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