All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett has had a tough season. Photo / Getty
All Blacks first-five Beauden Barrett has had a tough season. Photo / Getty
All Blacks superstar Beauden Barrett has opened up about what he admits has been the most challenging period of his All Blacks career - revealing that tension between his coaches at the Hurricanes contributed to a rocky start to the season.
Though the first-five is confident that the All Blacksremain on track to a third successive World Cup success in Japan in 10 months, he admits to pushing himself to be "perfect".
In a wide-ranging interview with the Herald's Liam Napier, Barrett says this season has helped him to accept that he will never be the complete package.
"I'm such a perfectionist and I want to do everything right, kick every goal, do everything perfectly, but that is not reality," Barrett said.
"You've got to understand and accept that nothing in the world is perfect. The sooner you understand that, the better it will be."
His season got off to a less than ideal start with internal ructions at the Hurricanes disrupting their Super Rugby campaign.
The transition between John Plumtree and Chris Boyd at the Hurricanes wasn't smooth. Photo / Getty
Friction between Chris Boyd, now leading Northampton, and John Plumtree, promoted to Hurricanes head coach next year, contributed to a semifinal loss to the Crusaders.
"We were strong enough as leaders of that team to just get on with it. It was clear there was a little bit of disruption with the transition but the coaches did their best to move on for the benefit of the team," Barrett said.
"We weren't too pleased with how we finished the season and where we got to with our game and results. Yes, we were up against a quality Crusaders team at home, but I guess the damage was done."
The All Blacks' shock loss to the Springboks in Wellington in September was a watershed moment for the 27-year-old.
Barrett had a horror night off the tee and failed to take a dropped goal in the dying moments of the 36-34 defeat.
"We weren't in the right place mentally and with our game in Wellington, especially me personally," says Barrett.
"I learnt a lot from a psychological point of view about having to move on and flush things and not live on previous mistakes.
Beauden Barrett had a night to forget against the Springboks in Wellington. Photo / Getty
"That was a big learning curve and something I've carried through right up until today; having that ability to focus on what's next.
"I also understand that teams will find ways to frustrate me, get to me, but you have to accept that and take it as a privilege they are doing that."
* Read the full interview with Beauden Barrett in the Herald on Sunday.
