Beauden Barrett will start at No 10 for the All Blacks in Brisbane. Photo / Photosport
Beauden Barrett will start at No 10 for the All Blacks in Brisbane. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
There are milestones aplenty for the All Blacks this week as they prepare to play the Wallabies in Brisbane - including the naming of four debutants in the team, Sam Whitelock's 100th test, and the selection of Beauden Barrett at first-five.
Of them all the latter may be theleast significant.
Barrett last started a test with the No 10 on his back more than a year ago; it was against Tonga in Hamilton on September 7.
It was a mild late winter's afternoon with the promise of spring and the retention of the World Cup in the air. Richie Mo'unga, the incumbent who had played the previous three tests, had an injured shoulder and sat this one out. George Bridge scored four tries.
Optimism abounded, a warm and pleasant feeling which followed the All Blacks for another seven weeks until they ran into a wet white blanket called England.
It's no secret that last year the selectors committed themselves to the dual playmaking role of Mo'unga at 10 and Barrett at fullback after it was first revealed in the draw against the Springboks in Wellington, or that it has been a work in progress since.
Richie Mo'unga celebrates his try with Beauden Barrett in the weekend's Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney. Photo / Photosport
It's no secret either that Barrett is a world-class 10 and if it was up to him that's where he would play, or that his combination with Mo'unga approached its potential during the win over the Wallabies at Eden Park and improved further during the recent demolition in Sydney.
The thinking of the selectors over what is best for the team in the biggest tests hasn't changed one iota as far as Mo'unga and Barrett are concerned, which may be good news for Mo'unga's many supporters and a disappointment for those who feel the All Blacks would be far better served with Barrett at 10.
It's odd because the evidence of the last two if not three years suggests that Mo'unga is the best 10 in the country. This year a case could easily be made that he is the best 10 in the world.
There have been occasional criticisms from some observers that the Crusaders player doesn't have the control that Barrett used to have in the big tests, forgetting perhaps that Mo'unga was pretty good in a pretty important Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park last year, not to mention his next test, the World Cup pool game against the Springboks or the quarter-final demolition of Ireland.
The reality is that after three tests on the trot, Mo'unga needs a rest and Barrett is the obvious choice to fill in for him.
No matter what happens at Suncorp Stadium, the arrangement won't be permanent.
What is more significant is how fortunate the All Blacks are to have two world-class players capable of operating at such a high level in such an important position; compare and contrast with the Wallabies and their new head coach Dave Rennie, who has gone for James O'Connor, Noah Lolesio and now Reece Hodge at 10 in the space of four tests.
What's striking too is how comfortable Barrett is playing in whichever role he is selected, although his attitude when joining the Blues from the Hurricanes was an indication that he is truly prepared to go where the team needs him, even at Super Rugby level.
Beauden Barrett will start at No 10 for the All Blacks in Brisbane. Photo / Photosport
Barrett, the two-time player of the year at first-five, was the Blues' biggest signing in over a decade and yet there were no demands about where he would play for Leon MacDonald's men, and he started at fullback before eventually moving to 10 once Otere Black was injured.
Barrett will likely look good at 10 on Saturday. He'll be influential and form a striking partnership with brother Jordie, who is starting at fullback.
It's just temporary, though.
Mo'unga is the future for the All Blacks at 10. He proved that once again last week and is likely to continue proving it all the way until the next World Cup.
