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Where the Hurricanes plan to play Jordie Barrett this season
By Finn Morton
Jordie Barrett is one of the most talented rugby players in New Zealand, as he has the ability to play almost any position in the backline at a world-class level.
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But after a standout end-of-season tour with the All Blacks last year, Barrett has seemingly found himself a home in the No. 12 jersey.
With this year’s Rugby World Cup in France less than seven months away, the 25-year-old is set to line up at inside centre throughout Super Rugby Pacific.
Barrett has played inside centre for the Hurricanes before, and has been the star player for the team for quite some time.
But ahead of this year’s World Cup, the responsibility that rests on his shoulders just seems different.
Lining up in the midfield, Barrett will embody his role as the nation’s premier No. 12 – and will carry the expectation and pressure that comes with that belief.
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland has confirmed that Barrett has been training in the midfield throughout the preseason, and will play there “unless other circumstances force him” out.
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“We will play him wherever he’s needed,” Holland told Weekend Sport with Jason Pine. “He’ll play whatever is best for the team any given week.
“He’s training for 12 at the moment for us mainly so he’s probably a midfielder in our eyes at the moment unless other circumstances force him to play out the back.
“We pretty much do whatever we think is the best thing for the boys, and there’s nothing coming from Fossie or that crew to say ‘you have to play anybody anywhere.’
“They’ve obviously got their preference around where they see guys and maybe we’re a bit closer together in our thinking now around Jordie.
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“We can do what we want but we’ll continue to have conversations with the All Blacks coaches.”
For a lot of teams, replacing a player of Barrett’s calibre would be both an intimidating and impossible task. But not for the Hurricanes.
Coach Holland has identified rising stars Josh Moorby and Ruben Love as two “pretty good contenders” to start at fullback.
Moorby has only played about 10 Super Rugby matches for the Hurricanes, but his ceiling appears to be limitless. The 24-year-old made his debut for the Maori All Blacks against Ireland last July.
As for Ruben Love, he’s been identified as a potential All Blacks World Cup bolter by Jason Holland.
“Just be down to form. The beauty of us playing Jordie at 12… there’s definitely not a hole there in the calibre of player we can fill that hole with,” he added.
“(Moorby) had a pretty special first season in Super Rugby last year, and we know what Rubes can do and we’ve seen him do that for Wellington in the recent NPC.
“Like anything, whoever is getting the job done will earn the right to wear the jersey. Two pretty good contenders.”
Playmaker Ruben Love played a crucial role in the Wellington Lions’ NPC triumph last year, and also earnt representative honours with the All Blacks XV and Maori All Blacks.
Holland has previously suggested that Love will play regular minutes for the Canes at No. 15, but will have to overcome an early season injury in order to make his mark.
“I think Rubes is really enjoying 15, that little bit of time and space and still being help drive the game and manage the game from there.
“Rubes has actually got a little niggly injury at the moment which is going to keep him out of the first couple of weeks of the Super Rugby (season).
“When he comes back in and gets going again, he’s probably a 15 option that can play 10 at the moment.”
The Hurricanes begin their Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a trip across the Tasman, where they’ll face the Queensland Reds in Townsville.
