Rugby: A bit of banter with the Barrett family

The Barrett brothers speak to the media at the All Blacks press conference at the Heritage Hotel. From left - Beauden Barrett, Scott Barrett and Jordie Barrett. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

You don't need much imagination to figure that life was pretty good growing up in the Barrett household down on the farm a few years ago.

So put the family's three All Black squad members, Beauden, Scott and Jordie, at a table and you're sure to hear some some gentle ribbing.

Which is what happened today as the three prepare for the possibility of joining All Black sibling elite at some point soon.

Only Cyril, Maurice and Laurie Brownlie, and Mark, Ginger and Harold Nicholls, both of the 1920s, and George, Sam and Luke Whitelock from the present era have made it three from one family to wear black. The Barretts would be the first to make the same test team.

Champion first five-eighth Beauden, at 26 and poised for his 50th test cap against Samoa at Eden Park on Friday night, set the ball rolling; lock Scott, 23, made his debut in Chicago last year; and for 20-year-old fullback Jordie it seems just a matter of time.

There are eight in Kevin and Robyn Barrett's family. Former lock Kevin is Taranaki rugby royalty, a hard-nosed lock who played 167 games in amber and black. But the story goes the boys got their athletic gifts from their mother.

''They do say that," Beauden said. ''Mum was a pretty talented athlete herself. They all say our speed came from Mum and I guess the size and workrate from Dad.

Chipped in Scott, turning to big brother: ''Mum works pretty hard round the farm. I don't know if you've seen that".

And Jordie: ''Most people would say we get it from Mum just to wind Dad up."

And so it went on for a much of a light-hearted 15 minutes. It was amiable, restrained banter as they reflected on the years growing up, five boys and three girls crowded round the dinner table, and it was easy to detect genuine admiration for each other's achievements.

These are young men for whom you sense life on the farm ingrained in them a solid work ethic.

''If you live on a farm you appreciate you can work countless hours," Beauden said.

''There was always work to be done so we always saw Mum and Dad doing that, coming home cooking us dinner, getting us ready for school.

''So if you relate that to your rugby it's about striving to be better, to be the best you can be."

Jordie received the hand-me-down clothes until he left school, said Beauden - ''he's splashing out a bit these days".

Jordie's nickname has changed from Bub, as the youngest boy, to Udon said Beauden - ''as in skinny white noodle. I think he prefers that."

The back yard was given over to sports, mainly cricket.

''I've always been trying to keep up to be honest," Jordie said. ''In rugby games I'd often be in tears."

They are stories that would resonate through farming communities the length of the country.

Beauden said having his brothers in camp isn't a distraction.

''I think it's refreshing, having your family in the team for the down time but in terms of training and doing the preparation it doesn't make a difference for me. It's an honest environment and...we can all have those hard conversations if needed."

And there's a degree of deference to world player of 2016 Beauden.

''It was pretty cool," Jordie said of Beauden's rise to the top. ''It certainly gave us something to strive for."