Beauden Barrett has spoken of his relief at the appointment of new All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie, saying: “As a player, I’m happy that’s over and we can now focus on playing rugby.”
Rennie’s appointment last week as Scott Robertson’s replacement ends a difficult time for the All Blacks but particularly the players, who had to deal with two years of unpredictability, including the early departures of two assistant coaches.
It was also clear that Barrett, 34, struggled to get on the same page as Robertson, the former Crusaders head coach who was dismissed from the All Blacks in January, halfway through his tenure.
While the relationship was probably workable, Barrett appeared to struggle with Robertson’s views on the game. Regardless, the whole saga of the head coach losing his job weighed heavily on him and his teammates.
It was a fallout made worse for the fact it involved his brother Scott, made captain by Robertson and who did not appear to have an easy time of it over the past two years.
“It’s not easy to deal with what’s happened over the last few months. As a captain and as a player supporting him and Razor, we do feel a bit of that,” Barrett said of brother Scott, who is using his non-playing sabbatical at the Crusaders for surgery and a well-deserved break.
Asked whether he was involved in the process to appoint Rennie, Beauden Barrett – speaking after Blues training in Auckland today – replied: “Yeah, I was part of a large group that was part of the whole process really around the reviews and so on.”
Asked about Rennie, who led the Chiefs to two titles – their first (and only) – in 2012 and 2013, he said: “I’ve played against him many times and I remember those Chiefs teams in those early years and how tough they were and the success that they had. He’s certainly a man I have a lot of respect for.”
Have you spoken to him? “No, but we have a leadership chat lined up in the near future.
“He’s pretty keen on moving forward and to connect.”
Barrett – who has played 145 Tests and closing in on record-holder Sam Whitelock (153) as the All Blacks’ most capped player – added: “I’ve always been chips in with whoever the coach has been. I’m just focusing on playing well for the Blues. I’m not taking anything for granted. It’s nice to be included in a call with Dave soon and to get the ball rolling for him for planning purposes.
“Speaking to Anton Lienert-Brown and Ardie Savea and Brodie Retallick up at Kobe, with two of them with their experience under him at the Chiefs, it’s only positive. As a player it’s exciting. Obviously, we’re not sure who our assistant coaches will be – that will come out in due course.”
Barrett, who played 80 minutes for the Blues on Saturday in his first appearance for the franchise after an extended break, added that Rennie’s statement about players needing to prove themselves anew was appropriate.
After leaving the Chiefs, Rennie coached at Glasgow and is a former head of the Wallabies before being let go in 2023. He is now at Kobe in Japan and will return in May.
“With Dave not coaching in New Zealand at the moment there’s even more of that uncertainty and so there should be,” Barrett said. “We should be earning that right to be an All Black and earning selection in June or July or whenever it is.”
Above all, Barrett, who recently celebrated the birth of his third child, said: “The motivation to win here at the Blues is very high. I’ve got a burning desire to win a championship with this team. I know that if I do everything I can within my control hopefully it leads to earning the right to put on a black jersey at some stage this year – it’s as simple as that for me.”
And, for those wondering, the pending return of rival Richie Mo’unga from Toshiba was welcome, Barrett said.
“I talk to him – we’re teammates, we make each other better. That’s what it’s all about. We need everyone in black helping each other be the best we can be and competing hard against each other. There’s certainly no egos about who wears what jersey. It’s about winning Test matches for New Zealand.”
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