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Beauden Barrett is clearly the All Blacks’ best option at fullback
By Finn Morton
All Blacks fans aren’t always loyal to their players. For supporters who expect so much from their rugby heroes, it’s almost impossible for them to keep the faith when the going gets tough.
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Time after time, we see New Zealanders turn on their own when rugby results don’t fall their way. But the intensity, scrutiny and expectation on these mere mortals goes up another few notches at a Rugby World Cup.
The All Blacks are expected to win, always. There are no ifs, buts or maybes, the fans draw the line of failure below the familiar feelings of victory and triumph.
But that didn’t happen this time around against France in Paris. For the first time ever, the All Blacks lost a Rugby World Cup pool match and New Zealanders began to pin the blame on players.
After 18 months of disastrous results, which included losses to Ireland, South Africa and Argentina, last Friday’s defeat has seen Kiwis hit the panic button.
Changes must be made, and former New Zealand cricketer and rugby commentator Ian Smith wants Damian McKenzie back in the team.
“I certainly have got to have Damian McKenzie in there,” Ian Smith said on SENZ.
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“I keep going back to the commentators saying ‘these guys are on their knees’… if you’re on your knees defensively that’s where it hurts, and who’s the best stepper in terms of exposing that? Damian McKenzie is clearly the best stepper.
“If Will Jordan is at fullback we’ll see 50 per cent of the kicking from the back that we’ve been witnessing so far.”
Out with the old and in with the new, some supporters would agree that All Blacks selectors need to move on from two-time World Rugby Player of the Year Beauden Barrett.
With the Ferrari that is Damian McKenzie waiting in the garage, of course, it’s tempting to grab the keys.
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But remember, Damian McKenzie and Will Jordan were both poor in Bledisloe II in Dunedin. Jordan failed to fire at fullback, and McKenzie struggled to make an impact from first five.
Big call – but I would drop Beauden Barrett. Jordan had a poor game but he is a good player and can makes things happen. And, perhaps wasted on the wing. I would move Jordan to FB. As good as Telea is, I would move to the bench, and have Clarke and Leicester on the wings
— Dan O’Shea (@DrDanOShea) September 9, 2023
The All Blacks problems and confusion starts and finishes with Beauden Barrett. Get rid of his meddling and poor kick/decision making they will be a lot clearer!
— Simon Odlum (@simonodlum) September 10, 2023
Hey Fozzie!! Well done on giving Beauden Barrett free license to kick the ball back into France’s arms all night, it was a masterstroke in tactics, you are a rugby genius and you are finding new ways to play this game…
— PH (@ArmchairVilla) September 9, 2023
Beauden Barrett. Have you watched him play the last 4-5 years? He’s a one dimensional, kick obsessed player. Move to the Blues was his worst career decision, and he’s a shadow of his 2016 form after the concussion. Foz has been too loyal.
— Sir Bob Dobilina (@DrFeelgood1977) September 9, 2023
Barrett kicked the ball a lot on a scorching night at Stade de France. The Rugby World Cup winner would’ve been placed inside the AFL’s top 15 for average kicks in a match by any player with that one display.
Fed up with the mixed night off the boot, one fan even sent a text into Ian Smith’s show saying that they’d be “turning the TV off” if Barrett kicked at all against Namibia.
Barrett has retained his spot at fullback, and there’s a lot resting on this game for the veteran in the eyes of fans.
But let’s all just take a deep breath. Inhale, now hold for five seconds and exhale.
It’s easy to obsess over something when it doesn’t go to plan. The All Blacks and Les Bleus were locked in a kicking duel last week and France won.
But Barrett did what every other fullback in Test rugby would do.
If anything, on a humid night in Paris, Barrett had an ace up his sleeve by sending unpredictable torpedoes either towards the touchline or to an opponent. It seemed to trouble the French at times, too.
But has anyone looked at what else Barrett did? Watch the tape or crunch the numbers and you’ll see that the fullback was actually one of the All Blacks’ best.
Barrett led the way in attack with a game-high 24 carries for 123 metres. No player on either team bested the playmaker, who also made at least as many tackles as the likes of Anton Lienert-Brown and France No. 15 Thomas Ramos.
Before Mark Telea’s try inside the opening two minutes, Barrett was also seen telling his teammates that the ball was going wide. The fullback got the ball at second receiver and set up the wing with a cross-field kick.
Barrett is also the best backfield defender in the world. With simply electric pace off the mark, the 32-year-old has almost singlehandedly saved the All Blacks from scoreboard pain – but there’s no stat for that. Just take a look at his foot race with Antoine Dupont near the sideline last week.
Remember that World Cups are won or lost by moments of brilliance. Experience can’t be bought, but rather forged within the crucible that is Test rugby.
In a tight Test against the likes of Ireland, South Africa or France, Barrett is so obviously the All Blacks’ best option at fullback that this shouldn’t really be a debate or talking point.
It would be great to see McKenzie come into the team on a regular basis, but it won’t be a straight swap for Barrett.
The foundations of the All Blacks’ legacy is built on passion, unity and mahi. If you really want to get behind the All Blacks at this World Cup, then keep the faith and show your support.
These players are a long way from home, and the last thing they need is more criticism.
Anyone who thinks Will Jordan should have the 15 jersey doesn't understand rugby in the slightest. Of the squad members I'd only trust Beauden, DMac and Jordie to play Fullback.
shut up geezus '' doesnt understand rugby in the slightest'' are you for real no your just messing eh . will jordan has the skills to play fullback at international level period . It is definitely not a stretch to consider this in the slightest degree . when laurie mains singles out this particular player and confirms what we already think re inforces my suggestion your messin . however ever if you are not look harder at the forest you might see the trees side note i still want bb damian just wants to cut slash like a pin ball at fullback beatiful passer at fist five swift long and very accurate i think they all of them kick 30% too much
Back 3 should be Leicester, will Jordan and telea/Stevenson. Bb or damo of the bench. Can't remember the last time beuaden even made a break.
Clearly you haven't watched him.
Will Jordan is a great winger, he's an atrocious Fullback though, doesn't know how or when to kick and is a bad defender. I honestly feel like people are just gaslighting me at this point, how did other people see him out of position for the entire game in Bled II and think "yeah, this is definitely where he belongs"? He's not great, he's not good, hell he's not even just below average for a tier 1 nation Fullback, he's just bad, if he was playing for Namibia I'd suggest that they keep him on the wing rather than compromising the performance of other players like he did with Christie DMac and Stevenson when he forced them to take care of his kicking and tackling duties on top of their own, he's a liability at 15.
Yesterday. That should have been easy.
Those who follow Super Rugby and the ABs know BB is a busted flush. The Blues experiment hasn’t worked… moving between 10 and 15. Jordan is an excellent FB and it’s games like Namibia where he needs to be given the chance. But Foster and Schmitt are vision-free zones. Hopeless loyalty to a one dimensional player.
I follow SR and the ABs and BB is the best 15 we have.
Doesn't matter if they're not getting enough front foot ball
Yep bb still has a lot to offer definitely a good bench cover, still can't see Mackenzie in a test jersey every time he just gets thumped by the opposition and sat down as an easy tackle option before he gets anywhere. Looking forward to seeing Leicester on the wing, hopefully can live up to his track record.
Jordan and McKenzie were playing with only 3 other starters and that team had never played together before. BB gets the benefit of the top team, crowds mounga and makes so many poor decisions. We need to accept he is not the great player he was 5 years ago.
Just two good crosskicks (which McKenzie can also do in his sleep) are not enough for BB to be in the team...desperate times now
Damian and Jordan were both v good in B2. You should perhaps review that game.
Jordan was bad, like really, really bad. No one can say that it was a good Fullback performance because he spent 95% of the game out of position leaving others to take care of his Fullback roles.
DMac looked bad because he was essentially playing two positions at once.
Spot on. They were two of the best that night and Damian was great v Arg with the top team.
Yeah let’s keep playing fosters mates like Taylor our 2 aging locks who we see the best of sometimes infact you could argue foster has looked after and given them special treatment anyone that’s been around since 2015. They keep talking about how important and valuable these players are but they the very ones that are bereaved of ideas when things are no longer working
Um… The locks are bereft of ideas? I think you’re referring to the Foster-Schmitt shambles? Whitelock has a bad day at the office. Scott Barrett is a class performer and had a bad game. Guzzler is just back from injury. Our lock stocks are not that good… after these guys we have journeymen and club players…
There are two Beauden Barretts?
Yes 2017 (great) and 2023 (poor)
No, he's yesterday's man. The Crusaders combo of Mounga/Jordan is far more dynamic, forward thinking, & in sync. All Barrett does is relegate Richie to a bits & pieces role instead of allowing him to drive the car. Hence, when the ABs are under pressure, confusion & scrambly errors set in. The forwards are left to grasp at straws.
A cut & paste backline will always produce a cut & paste performance. On the rare occasion all the dots may join up. But it's too hit & miss imo. One needs only look at how the Crusaders backs took Barrett & the Blues apart in SRP SF to see the winning formula. In the SRP F, against a rampant Chiefs backline the Mounga/Jordan combo dug deep. Add in Lester Faianganuku & the ABs would have the 3 best performers in their positions. Beaudin would be great bench cover.
Hmm if the ABS forwards did their job then we wouldn’t be talking about BB or Mounga
Mounga is a learner driver. Needs constant supervision or he misses pen kicks for the side line. Does dumb stuff on his 22.
BB should be on bench Reiko on the wing where he belongs Lester at center Allgood, but no let's keep playing fosters mates .Go Fiji and France
Na bench him at best
He’s a good impact player
His kicking is mostly poor
Jordans run lines are better from fullback
Reiko is a better runner at wing
Than centre
Havili, Cristie, and LB could be sent home to save embarrassment
Fozzie is half human half Merino.
Shear him in spring and check for foot rot in winter
If only we had a centre. Luckily theres still another wing.
What on earth is the author on about. "Clearly the best backfield defender in the world." What is that based on? A chase down ankle tap on Willie Le Roux about 8 years go?
Barrett had so many running metres because he ran for 5 metres or so then kicked every single time. How many tackles did he break? Or line breaks did he create? None probably. The one time he thought to have a crack it was at the expense of open men outside him, he got turned over and they scored.
His kicking game is at best aimless, and we are completely wasting a generational attacking talent in Jordan by sticking him on the wing and having him chase inaccurate kicks by Barrett.
You've fallen into the trap of his "magic moments" blinding you to every other poor decision he makes. He's a muddled player who shouldn't be in the 23. He's past his best, Jordan should be at 15, McKenzie on the bench. Blind Freddie can see it. But Barrett is a Fozzie loyalist so he'll never be dropped. And our media is so pathetic they'll never actually ask any hard questions or do any analysis to highlight players doing dumb things.
How Barrett survives a video analysis review is beyond me, although Fozzie probably avoids that so he doesn't have to have any hard conversations and offend any of his players.
24 carries for 123 metres. Do you realise, Finn, that makes 5.12 metres per carry, and given that BB's collecting the ball at fullback, most of those 5.12 metres per carry would be completed before he even reached any opposition. As Bryn Hall, who like most of the kiwi ex-player commentators is soooo careful not to denigrate anyone, asked on the Pod the other night - 'Imagine what Will Jordan could do with that much ball.' Every team now knows that BB's running poses no threat, even if he does, as against France, run out of ideas and into contact (where he was promptly turned over), so that makes it so much simpler for them when BB's got the ball. It's got to the point where teams playing the ABs don't need an attack plan other than 'Kick it to BB.'
Can't agree with the premise of this article. BB is not the best FB option available to the ABs. Mostly because he does not play at FB - even when selected there and shifts in and out of first receiver to the detriment of the whole back line but particularly, to Richie Mo. Making the whole AB backline centered on BB' "fluid role" is flawed thinking and has not even led to his own success as NZR (including his SR team Blues) tried to facilitate this positional confusion. I think the philosophy is from Foster - started during Hanson's time and has been continued by this group, including Schmidt. That could explain how the Blues also attempted to squeeze this BB role into their game plan. It seems self-evident, the philosophy is not working for BB, the Blues or the ABs and the sooner it is dumped, the better.
I gotta say I think BB playing along side Jordan and a left wing, do bring the best out of them, more freedom then say if Jordan was at FB.
On the gane, If we score at that key moment before halftime and Mo'unga gets 2 of 3 conversions over, then at the 55min, we are up 17-9, harder for the French to comeback from. It comes down to execution at pace.
In terms of his kicking, I guess if we play the masterplan every game for 4 games, we show all the teams, they can work it out for the QF, SF and Final.
This came out of nowhere though and they nearly pulled it off.
Sure. That's what Fosters trouble is too, believe in a perfect world.
They could have easily beaten France for sure, because France were terrible for large parts of the game. No other reason.
Jordan is the best full back in the world. Mo’Uanga is the best fly half in the world…. Depending on where you live in NZ…
100p
It must be an extremely small world. Not even taking the whole south island in Id guess.
With go-forward, quick ball it isn't far from the truth...tactical kicking when on the backfoot remains an issue (for both) and there's a lot less space in international rugby. Some of those carry stats for BB are interesting, certainly didn't look it to the naked eye in the scheme of the second half...would've liked to see Mounga stamp his mark more in the last half hour.
You'll be upsetting the chiefs fans with that...
Barrett plays his best rugby when the rest of the team does their job.
The cluster of the forward pack pods, nine and first five performance as a unit has been wavering between subpar to suboptimal for seven years with some notable performances illustrating the capability is possible if the All Blacks’ Par level is reached. Combined with a revolving door in the midfield, unusual selection, and coaching office choices, and the change of information providers and the story is of management and board missing something that is causing the platform for their success to falter.
When I say capability I mean the capacity and ability of the AB playing group is developed to maturity and performance is optimised.
Since the departure of the golden era players the dimensions of the people (skills, education, experience, fitness, strength, availability), process (game plan execution, skill execution, support running lines, clean, exits), technology, and information have not combined effectively.
Blaming individual players is naive when the cluster of pods in the frontline are not executing their roles effectively, consequently the rest of the production line struggles.
Their best is only a few percentage points off and the organisation needs tweaking to return to the high performance culture.
So you have to get rid of him now... that they are going to have a severely under strength forward pack?
Oh I like that. I don't have any detailed technical knowledge yet I like what you say about tweaking and small margins rather than player failings. Obviously France was to a particular game plan, yet one of my impressions was that Mounga had very few involvements as a traditional style ten and it seemed the plan was him to organise attack of return ball. Any thoughts? I actually thought it was working well and the game turned on discipline, and of course the French have the nous to cash in.
Pretty sure the only reason Barrett had the game high carries is because the game plan was clearly to get the ball to Barrett. Tell me how that helped us.
B Barrett is simply not playing his best rugby at the moment, nor has he been for a while. Jordan is the best 15 in the world at the moment (closely pursued by Ramos). Can't understand Foster's thinking.
🤣 🤣 🤣 Son, the things you cannot and do not understand can fill a black hole (the astronomical phenomenon, no reference to your daddy).
How do you figure he is the best in the world? He has only played there at SR level, which as we know does not translate to the intensity of international rugby.
If BB is our best FB, then it's the game plan that's messing him up. Him and RM.
True, it was designed for BB and DMac.
They have different skills from Mo’unga and he has not adapted well to the game plan as he is an out and out 10 and his instinct and ability at 15 is not at the same level.
BB & DM seemed to prove against Argentina that they can make it work regardless of which of them is 10 or 15.
But the AB defence is a different animal without BB in the back 3.
Rubbish
Rearranging the backline is a bit like rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship if you don’t get the forward combinations working first.
You can actually do both at the same time. This Richie/Beaudin double act has been a failure since introduced in 2019 by Hansen/Foster. And after a shit 4 years, under Foster, we still persist. Madness.
Very good
Clearly? One could arguably be playing Jordan into form at full back, or Stephenson. I also think Barrit has some big upsides. Suspect the run/kick debate is a game plan.
Anomalous- try again. Maybe when your sober?