Analysis: A year out from the World Cup, Beauden, Scott and Jordie are under pressure to prove themselves all over again, writes Patrick McKendry.
The three All Black Barrett brothers, Beauden, Scott and Jordie, are on the brink of a hugely significant year that will contain a scrutiny on their performances, particularly for the national team, that they may not have faced before.
Two of the three face pressure to perform well in Super Rugby Pacific. Jordie will play his first game of the season tomorrow when he runs out in the No.12 jersey as captain of the Hurricanes against Moana Pasifika in Wellington, while Beauden continues his delayed start at the Blues and Scott enjoys a non-playing sabbatical at the Crusaders.
Scott should be available for the Crusaders’ later rounds which will presumably include a run to the playoffs, although their struggles in 2024 and first-round defeat last weekend to the Highlanders will reinforce their coaches’ messages that nothing can be taken for granted.
And then there will be a battle to retain their All Blacks positions, with Jordie in a fight with Quinn Tupaea, who impressed in his injury-forced absence last year, Beauden facing off against Damian McKenzie and the returning Richie Mo’unga, and Scott in a struggle against Tupou Vaa’i, Fabian Holland (when he returns from his shoulder problem) and Patrick Tuipulotu (another shoulder injury casualty).
All three Barretts have been hugely influential for the All Blacks over the last three years especially, with Scott coming of age at the 2023 World Cup and effectively becoming the No.1-ranked lock in the country ahead of veterans Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock.
The drop in form of Scott, 32, who clearly struggled under the pressure of the captaincy bestowed upon him by the now dismissed head coach Scott Robertson, may be the most concerning and, paradoxically, the easiest to fix.
The middle Barrett was hampered by injuries last year – a calf tear ruled him out of the last two Tests against France in July and he also struggled with a shoulder problem – so an extended rest from the game should freshen him significantly for the challenges ahead, including next year’s World Cup.
He should be in no doubt, either, that there are no guarantees about his retaining the All Blacks' captaincy under a new head coach, or indeed his position in the second row ahead of the challenges of the consistently excellent Vaa’i, 26, and Holland, 23, the latter named World Rugby’s breakout player of 2025.
Scott may even welcome losing the captaincy – and Ardie Savea will be the favourite to get the nod from either Dave Rennie or Jamie Joseph – as an opportunity to focus on what he does best on the field; winning lineouts, clearing rucks and making bone-shuddering tackles on halfbacks.
Beauden, 34, a man who recently celebrated the birth of his third daughter and is nearing the end of his All Blacks career (he is contracted until the end of next year), faces a different challenge.
He is the incumbent No.10 for the All Blacks and will almost certainly fill that position for the three July Tests against France, Ireland and Italy but beyond that there will be the uncertainty of knowing Mo’unga is returning from Japan this year and may be included in the tour to South Africa.
A peculiarity of New Zealand Rugby’s archaic eligibility rules dictates Mo’unga, despite committing to the nation until after next year’s World Cup, must play a season for Canterbury in the NPC before being cleared to play in the black jersey unless he receives a dispensation from the board.
In an interview with 1News last year, Mo’unga said he is still hoping to be on the plane to South Africa. This little selection wrinkle will likely dominate headlines for weeks leading up to the squad announcement, if not afterwards as well.
Beauden started 10 of 13 Tests last year and if anything lengthened his lead at the top of the pecking order over McKenzie. He wasn’t selected for the dead rubber third Test against France in Hamilton and was ruled out of the Bledisloe Cup Test in Perth due to a shoulder problem.
Beauden also missed the Wales Test in Cardiff due to a leg injury which hampered his ability to kick for touch and goal during the defeat to England at Twickenham and should have seen him replaced earlier than what transpired.
The Blues man, who missed a large part of the last Super Rugby season due to a fractured hand, remains a hugely respected figure within the All Blacks.
A final paradox to ponder, however, is that Jordie often plays better when his big brother is unavailable; witness his performance in Perth against Australia outside McKenzie and inside centre Tupaea.
On that occasion, Jordie, also troubled by ankle and knee injuries last year, played with a rare freedom of expression on attack.
He was also excellent off the bench against France in Hamilton but overall lacked a bit of spark last year – a state of form that perhaps wasn’t surprising given he had just come off a season for Leinster in Ireland which meant he hadn’t had a break since after the 2023 World Cup.
The next one is fast approaching and for various reasons the brilliant Barrett brothers need to prove themselves all over again.
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