Watch: Jordie Barrett palms off All Blacks teammate to set up long-range try for new Hurricanes halfback
They may be All Blacks teammates, but Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett has shown Chiefs midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown no mercy during their side's Super Rugby Aotearoa clash at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
With the Hurricanes on attack just inside their own half, the hosts spread the ball through the hands of Luke Campbell, Ngani Laumape and Ardie Savea before it found Barrett on his own 10 metre mark.
With first-five Orbyn Leger running a decoy line off Savea's pass, Lienert-Brown was caught in two minds about who to defend out of the No 10 or Barrett.
By the time he had opted to commit himself to Barrett, he was a touch too late as he wasn't able to enforce a dominant hit on the 23-test All Black.
Barrett took full advantage of Lienert-Brown's indecisiveness by palming off the 25-year-old on his weak shoulder which allowed him to pierce the Chiefs' defensive line and burst into enemy territory at top speed.
With ball in both hands, Barrett caught his opposite Damian McKenzie in two minds as the Chiefs fullback had anticipated a pass out wide to left wing Salesi Rayasi.
The pass never came, though, as Barrett boosted upfield before drawing in the tackle attempt of Chiefs first-five Kaleb Trask and firing a pass away to halfback Luke Campbell.
The rookie No 9, who was starting his first match for the Hurricanes, then outpaced McKenzie in a mad dash for the line to score his first try in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
As a result, the Hurricanes drew first blood in the match, taking a 5-0 lead after 10 minutes of action, and they have since gone into the half-time break with a healthy 26-7 lead.
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What’s the bet that if Ireland lose we’ll have a bunch of people blaming Rob Kearney for it?
This might pizz the All Blacks off but it won’t make George Bell throw the ball any straighter or Rieko pass the ball to his wings more often.
Go to commentsNot if you look at where the increases are happening for NZR. Apparently the biggest increase in participation was in the junior ranks and has been attributed to the extra cash that tier has received from the private equity deal NZR signed. Clubs are reducing fees dramatically and thats bringing more into the clubs. Counties club had a 200% increase in enrollments for U7s as they made it free.
Yes NRL is always hanging around schoolboy rugby tho. I see the NRL as more of a threat at SR level where the fringe players are signing for either NRL or Japan etc.
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