Rugby: Grant Fox refuses to compare pivots, hints at changes

Grant Fox. Photo / Photosport

There's no point in comparing the performances of Dan Carter more than a decade ago to the Beauden Barrett masterclass over the weekend, says All Blacks selector and former test first-five Grant Fox.

Because while Carter announced himself to the rugby world with his showing against the British and Irish Lions in Wellington in 2005, Barrett was already a proven match-winner when he put the Wallabies to the sword with four tries in the second Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park on Saturday night.

"I'm not going to be drawn on that [comparison]. I think we should just revel in both those performances," Fox, a 46-test cap veteran, told Radio Sport's D'Arcy Waldegrave.

"Daniel came of age as a test rugby five-eighth that day in Wellington. I remember I sat there in awe of the skills of this man and his influence on that game.

"Beauden has already arrived as a world class five-eight and he just stamped his authority on that match [on Saturday].

"He's a wonderful reader of the game. He implements the strategy well and that pace that he has can unlock defences."

Barrett's performance in the 40-12 victory would have pleased the 27-year-old, who in recent weeks faced calls to be replaced in the All Blacks by the in-form Richie Mo'unga.

"It was a wonderful virtuoso performance but Beauden will just put that behind him and focus on the next task," he said.

"We [the All Blacks] just concentrate on our next task. What's the next job we've got to do?"

That would be seeing off a confident Argentina in Nelson in 11 days, after the Pumas humiliated the Springboks 32-19 in Mendoza last weekend.

Fans could expect to see a couple of new faces in the squad for that test, Fox admitted.

"We have a massive amount of respect for Argentina. We will respect them by making sure we're picking the strongest team we possibly can but we've got a big squad and you can't carry this group of guys and not give people opportunities," he said.

"That's not good for the environment for a start and you never know when you're going to need them.

"Some will get an opportunity, there's no doubt about that. Some of that will come from a bench point of view. There'll be a few changes to the starting line-up but nothing that's major," Fox said.