From Dublin to Dunedin, Jordie Barrett is ready to showcase his newfound Irish intelligence.
Seven months in Ireland has evolved Barrett’s game and, he believes, returned him in better shape than emerging from some taxing Super Rugby campaigns.
Barrett arrived home from his successful sojourn with Leinster two weeks ago refreshed and with a suitcase of acquired rugby knowledge absorbed from a series of contrasting experiences.
It’s a reflection of Barrett’s confidence – and Scott Robertson’s – that he is immediately thrust into a starting role alongside Hurricanes midfield partner Billy Proctor for the All Blacks’ opening test of the year against France.
After a trailblazing stint in Dublin – Barrett was the first All Black since Dan Carter’s ill-fated venture to French club Perpignan 16 years ago to use his sabbatical in Europe rather than Japan – he will seek to dispel the notion that All Blacks returning from abroad often need time to regain form.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Barrett says, reflecting on his Irish stint. “No one before me had done it for quite some time. Dan was the last but no one had gone for an Irish or Leinster experience so I was walking out into deep water at the start.
“It exceeded my expectations and what I wanted to get out of it.”
From tries to golf, travel, friendships and a treasured title, Barrett’s time in Ireland was littered with highlights on and off the field.
While Northampton stunned Leinster in their European semifinal in Dublin, they responded to claim the United Rugby Championship – the powerhouse club’s first silverware for four years.
One fear surrounding Barrett’s emerald experience was that he would return home broken and battered.
Joining Leinster last December, after the All Blacks’ northern tour, a seemingly constant two-year schedule jarred with player welfare stipulations and would surely spark serious fatigue.
As Barrett explains, though, such assertions couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I’m in a great place. I had fluid conversations with Leo [Cullen] and Guy [Easterby] on the Leinster side and [All Blacks trainer] Nic Gill and NZ Rugby here. I was managed so well. I was lucky to be fit and healthy for the seven months.
“There was a time during Six Nations where I didn’t play for nine weeks so I treated that as a mini preseason where I was able to get conditioned, get into the gym, get a little bit of a mental and physical break and come back in March.
“I had a big finals series with Leinster but I’m feeling really good at the moment.
“There was always chat around my workload and going up to Europe and getting bashed up but, ironically, I’m almost feeling better than sometimes when you come out of the Super Rugby season.
“I’ve come bouncing back into this environment.”
As a student of the game, Barrett soaked up the different styles, coaching methods, players and arenas in his 15 outings for Leinster.
One week he played in La Rochelle in a sold-out European Cup match in the freezing cold. A few weeks later he was off to Pretoria before travelling back to Dublin for an Irish derby against Munster.
“The game and dynamic can change quickly so the team has to adapt to different conditions, time of year, referees and styles.
“I feel I have a better understanding of my own game, a broader understanding of the game of rugby. In some ways it’s refining that, understanding what’s important, what’s not, and how to perform at the weekend.”
Will the average punter notice anything drastically different for the All Blacks this year?
“I’m not sure, hopefully. It’s different because I’m walking into a team now where there are 14 other world-class players on the field.
“At Leinster, at different times of the year when you lose the international guys and you’re playing with 10, 12 academy boys, you’ve got a bigger role to play and there’s an expectation to perform and take on a bigger load.
“In here you’ve just got to do your job and do it well. In some ways I’ve just got to narrow my focus.
“Bringing a real physical edge is something I’ll try to do this year coming back from Leinster and being under Jacques [Nienaber] and the South African influence.
“Whether it’s a ball carry, breakdown, tackle, you’ve got so many chances to influence a game – so trying to win as many of those as I can.”
Other than Nienaber, Barrett singled out former Crusaders first five-eighths Tyler Bleyendaal, who spent four years as Hurricanes assistant before joining Leinster, as one key figure to leave a lasting impression.
“His game understanding and ability to get a team to attack and strike off set piece is great. In the last five years I’ve learned so much from him. He was very influential for me. Certain conversations with senior players, too. I was lucky to be rubbing shoulders with 23 capped internationals so picking their brains has been great.”
In the past decade, since Joe Schmidt orchestrated Ireland’s maiden victory over the All Blacks, the two staunch rugby nations, who will clash again in Chicago this November, have forged an intense rivalry.
Going behind enemy lines offered Barrett an insight into the Irish rugby mentality before he confronts Leinster teammates with the All Blacks later this year.
“I wasn’t sure in terms of the way they prepare and their psyche and what makes them tick. It was clear there were a few little differences, rightly or wrongly, from what we have back home. And also, there are some things we do better here. Or little things in the week that I’ve brought home to shake a few trees and see if we can change, which is great. That was the whole point of moving to Ireland, to ultimately become a better rugby player.”
After eight years with the Hurricanes, Barrett also relished the chance to embrace new experiences outside Leinster.
“We are rugby players but we’re also people. We’ve got a life to live as well. It was an opportunity for an unbelievable experience. I’m certainly glad I did it. The people in Ireland were great, Dublin as well.
“I had chances to get away for the odd weekend and take Alice with me and enjoy life outside of rugby then walk back through the doors at Leinster with a smile on my face and enjoy the challenge of preparing for another week. I couldn’t be happier with the way it went.”
As his time in Ireland closed with a championship, mixed emotions surfaced between the pull of home, the lure of another test season and the desire to stay.
“It was bittersweet. Over a short period I developed great friendships, ones I’ll carry through for the rest of my life. You wonder if I was there any longer would the novelty have worn off but I guess we’ll never know.
“Throughout the season I had an eye on Super Rugby, there are guys playing well, your mates and brothers, the fire still burns inside and you want to get back and ideally earn an opportunity to wear the black jersey again.”
Now ensconced back in the All Blacks, Barrett believes Robertson’s second season in charge is primed to deliver significant improvements after a turbulent 2024 campaign.
“It’s hard not to look at the big picture. What a calendar year. Great fixtures, so what an opportunity. It does feel different walking in here this year. International rugby is so difficult these days anyone can knock you off. It’s so competitive but we learned so much last year.
“I’ve got full confidence we’re going to take another step ahead this year. We haven’t voiced that as a collective yet but I know individuals will be feeling that way. But, like everything, you’ve got to go out and earn it.
“There are some amazing midfielders picked in this squad. We understand the nature of the All Blacks and the test arena. You’ve got to perform every week if you want that jersey.”
As he swaps Leinster blue for the more customary black, Barrett’s quest to showcase his Irish intelligence starts this weekend.
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.
For live commentary of this weekend’s All Blacks v France test, go to GOLD SPORT or iHeartRadio.