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How to get the best out of Barrett still a head-scratcher for All Black coach

Yolande Du Preez|Published

New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett (centre) runs with the ball during the second Test rugby match between New Zealand and England at Eden Park in Auckland on July 13, 2024. Picture: DAVID ROWLAND, AFP

All Black head coach Scott Robertson said on Sunday that he is still deciding how to best use the “class” of Beauden Barrett, who shone in the series win over England.

The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year came off the bench in Saturday’s second Test in Auckland to spark the All Black attack. Barrett created the decisive try for Mark Tele’a by sprinting through a rare gap in the English defence as the hosts secured a 24-17 victory.

The Eden Park result sealed a 2-0 series win after shading the opening game 16-15 in Dunedin the previous week when Barrett had also made an impact as a replacement.

The All Blacks head to the US for a Test against Fiji next Friday in San Diego before hosting Argentina twice at home next month, followed by two Tests against the Springboks in South Africa in September.

Robertson said he will decide on a match-by-match basis where best to play Barrett.

“I think every Test match is different. Whether it’s off the bench or starting, he’s class. He can play at flyhalf or fullback. He can slot straight in,” Robertson said.

After the match, Barrett told reporters he had 50 minutes to see where he could influence the second Test against England.

“Ultimately, when you get out there it’s on pure instinct,” he said.

He said he had passed on messages from the coaches to help swing the game’s momentum the All Blacks’ way.

“To be fair, it came down to the wire.”

Warren Gatland, meanwhile, says he still has the hunger to coach Wales despite overseeing nine straight defeats and remains excited by what the future holds for his young team. Wales are winless since the pool stages of last year’s World Cup after the retirement of a host of big-name players and with others out injured.

Despite crashing 36-28 to Australia on Saturday night, on the back of a 25-16 loss a week earlier, the New Zealander said he was optimistic they would soon turn the corner.

“I’m confident this is going to be a good team,” he said. “I can see signs out there that we’re in games, we’re pressurising teams and quality opposition players. I hope you can see that as well.

“We’re just hurting ourselves at the moment. Sometimes not by the pressure the opposition are putting us under, but some of our turnovers and mistakes are allowing easy ins to the opposition team.

“You fix those things up and you keep working hard to be accurate.”

France captain Baptiste Serin said on Saturday his side had experienced a “terrible” week after a 33-25 defeat by Argentina in Buenos Aires, which came hours after two members of the visitors’ squad were charged with rape and beating a woman.

France forwards Hugo Auradou, 20, and flanker Oscar Jegou, 21, were arrested on Monday and formally charged on Friday after a woman accused them of raping her multiple times and beating her in a hotel room in the city of Mendoza after last weekend’s first Test.

AFP

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