Beauden Barrett is back at the Blues in every sense: Back after a season’s sabbatical in Japan; back in the familiar position of contesting a No.10 jersey; and back with a few pithy observations on the game here, including New Zealand Rugby’s eligibility rules.
It will probably come as little surprise that Barrett — facing the media after training with his Super Rugby team on a hot Auckland morning and early afternoon — did not want to delve too deeply into a rule which states that only players plying their trade in New Zealand can represent the All Blacks.
After all, he could be described as being in a slightly conflicted situation. After his sabbatical in Japan — earned through his long and successful service with the game here at all levels — Barrett returned as Scott Robertson’s incumbent first-five by year’s end after a contest with Damian McKenzie.
That is likely to continue in 2025 following the news that Richie Mo’unga will remain at Toshiba, serving his entire three-season contract to potentially return next year (meaning he is ineligible for the black jersey until then).
As ever, the ball has bounced kindly for Barrett. Today he said, "I’m not really in a position to comment" but did add, when asked for his thoughts on NZR changing the rules to allow All Blacks to play for overseas clubs: "You can open a huge can of worms around that. I think we just have to back what New Zealand Rugby are going with. Otherwise it sets a bad precedent for the next generation.
"It’s different for South Africa — they’ve got their reasons why. But, for the time being, I think New Zealand Rugby have shown a little bit of backbone around it."
Barrett's "backbone" reference may draw some attention but that's not to say he wouldn’t like other aspects of the eligibility rules looked at, including the potential for All Blacks to be selected from Super Rugby teams in Australia.
"I know, hearing from fans, that there should be rules that [players could be] playing for any franchise and still be eligible for the All Blacks and Wallabies and so on… and to answer that eligibility question, that one could be put back on the table, maybe," Barrett said.
The bottom line is that — running around at training today with the No.33 on his back reflecting his age — Barrett's stocks have risen significantly following Mo’unga’s decision to stay put.
Robertson tried McKenzie at first-five for the first eight Tests of his reign, only to change tack after the near disaster in the Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, and Barrett, who began his time in the black jersey under Robertson as a super sub in the series against England, has become increasingly important to the man known as Razor.
Today, after expressing surprise at the news Mo’unga was staying in Japan, Barrett said: "I have a good relationship with Razor now, and Scott Hansen. All that I can focus on now is playing well for the Blues. I’m sure Richie is going to be back in a few years which will be great for New Zealand rugby."
Was he now on the same page as Robertson? Does he understand the man’s methods a little more?
"I think one of his beauties and strengths is that you never really know what he’s thinking," Barrett replied, to chuckles from the assembled press.
"That’s one of his superpowers. So, to answer that question, no. Certainly the relationship is good. We talk often and that’s what you want. You want to have honest conversations with the head coach."
Barrett will contest the Blues No.10 jersey with Harry Plummer, the 26-year-old who last year led the side to their first championship since 2003.
Plummer, who also made his Test debut last year, has since signed with French club Clermont (partly on the assumption that Mo’unga would be returning this year) and is clearly eager to hold on to the position, with Stephen Perofeta also waiting in the wings.
It means the Blues, as assistant coach Daniel Halangahu admitted, have an embarrassment of riches in that area, as well as fullback, which Barrett and Perofeta can also cover — as can Zarn Sullivan.
"There’s huge competition for the jersey — for all the numbers, in fact," Barrett said. "We know that depth is going to be critical."
With Beauden Barrett returning to the team from a stint in Japan, the defending Super Rugby Pacific champions have an "embarrassment of riches" at the position. (Source: 1News)
Blues head coach Vern Cotter, in hospital recovering from knee surgery, moulded his team, and particularly his pack, into his own image in his first season — tough, uncompromising and driven — and he clearly has the talent to do it all again.
"I felt a little shift there when I came back from Japan and trained with them for a couple of weeks," Barrett said. "Obviously, Vern’s edge, his style, the way the Blues played last year, is different to what New Zealand has experienced in recent times. What I’ve seen is the boys have really enjoyed that.
"It’s been a fairly blunt strategy that has worked. There is no doubt we will look to adapt that a little bit because we can’t assume that’s going to work this year. We’ll have to improvise."
Barrett’s summer break included catching up with world No.3 golfer Rory McIlroy, who played at the Tara Iti and Te Arai courses in December, an experience Northern Irishman McIlroy called "the trip of a lifetime".
"He and [fellow Irish golfer] Shane Lowry are rugby fans. It’s nice to see him relaxed in an environment like that. What we see from afar is a lot of LIV Golf chat – him in the limelight about that. He’s a top bloke and he really loved New Zealand and what [developer] Ric Kayne has done up in Mangawhai."
And then there is the matter of brother Jordie playing in his own sabbatical at Leinster in Ireland.
"He’s playing really well," Barrett said of his younger sibling. "I’ve been enjoying that and he has been too.
"What a fantastic experience for him so far and I know that the Irish have really been enjoying his contributions on and off the field. Certainly, I’m getting a getting a bit of fomo [fear of missing out] seeing the Guinness pints on Snapchat and some of the golf courses he’s been playing. Most importantly, he’s playing really good footy."
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