Jordie Barrett. Photo / Photosport
Jordie Barrett will make his second consecutive start in the midfield for the Hurricanes this afternoon, going head-to-head against All Blacks midfielder David Havili. With his versatility providing options for the All Blacks, Ian Foster talks to Liam Napier about where he sees Barrett playing for the national team.
The All Blacks are not getting swept up in Jordie Barrett's recent switch to second-five. Not yet, anyway.
Barrett's continued versatility shows no bounds. In his 36 tests for the All Blacks he has started on both wings – seven times on the right edge – as well as making one appearance at No 10 against Namibia at the 2019 World Cup, before cementing his presence at fullback last season.
This year, though, Barrett has made no secret of his desire to spend time at second-five for the Hurricanes.
Second-five is not foreign to Barrett. He played there for the New Zealand Under 20s, and with Canterbury during the early stages of his provincial career.
Last weekend against the Chiefs in Wellington Barrett received his wish with Hurricanes coach Jason Holland handing him the No 12 jersey for the first time. In the lead-in to that match, Barrett said second-five was the position he felt most comfortable in, despite last year suggesting his preference was to play fullback.
Barrett's performance against the Chiefs was solid without being spectacular. While he brought a notable physicality, particularly on defence, to the midfield, Barrett was caught upright in contact at times and his overall influence was diluted compared to fullback.
Holland retained Barrett at second-five for the Hurricanes' match against the Crusaders in Wellington this afternoon, setting up a clash with incumbent All Blacks No 12 David Havili. Barrett's stint at second-five offers options from a squad perspective but in an interview with the Herald, All Blacks coach Ian Foster indicated he is not seriously considering the shift for the July series against Ireland.
"Has it piqued my interest? I'm always interested in what teams are doing. Jordie and I have spoken about it," Foster said. "If it's the right thing for the team we understand that but it probably doesn't change our plans too much."
Foster was largely impressed by Barrett's performances for the All Blacks from fullback last year and, for now at least, believes that's where his skills are best utilised as he looks to build a back three combination that includes Will Jordan.
"He goal-kicked so well, his high-ball stuff is very good; he's got a strong kicking game and they were things he was able to exhibit through the year.
"Particularly when you get to the Northern Hemisphere style you have to have the ability to deal with that high ball and make sure you've got a strong kicking game in your back three. He ticked those boxes. He wasn't at his best against France but the rest of the tour I thought he was one of our success stories."
As the All Blacks prepare to add the services of skills coach Andrew Strawbridge and scrum guru Mike Cron, the latter in an informal capacity, planning is well underway to establish swift improvements after ending last season with successive defeats to Ireland and France.
"We got a smack in the last two tests from two very good teams and the Six Nations has shown how good those teams are. We have to take that on the chin and go away and figure things out," Foster said.
"We're not clear enough when teams are stopping our momentum. The solutions that we find in that space haven't been good enough. Generally when teams stop our momentum they get excited and come at us quicker and we haven't been able to execute in those last two tests in that situation.
"We've got to look at ourselves as coaches and players and say 'what are we going to change, and what have we learned?'"
The All Blacks begin this season with a schedule that promises to provide an immediate examination of their credentials when they host Ireland for three home tests before travelling to South Africa for back-to-back assignments against the world champions at altitude.
"They're two teams that play very much a pressure game against us and so rather than having to wait until the end of the year to change our game into the Northern Hemisphere focus, we've got the opportunity right from day one in 2022.
"If we're a front-foot team with quick ball generally we play very well. If we can't get that then that's where teams are trying to stop us; trying to slow us down and we've got to get better at dealing with that."