BEAUDEN SETS BLUES FITNESS
Star recruit clearly put New Zealand’s nationwide lockdown to good use.
RECORD ON FIRST DAY
Auckland: If the Blues were concerned prized recruit Beauden Barrett might take some time to settle back into training they needn’t have worried, certainly if his first day back on the job was any measure.
Barrett on Monday broke the franchise’s “Bronco” fitness record, the effort made even more astounding by the fact that Barrett was still to lace the boots up for his new franchise before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But he had clearly put New Zealand’s nationwide lockdown to good use, as he powered through the brutal fitness test in record time.
Barrett was part of the “backs bubble” that returned to the team’s Auckland training base on Monday ahead of the kick-off of Super Rugby Aotearoa on June 13.
As well as the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year’s new Bronco record of 4 minutes 12 seconds, the franchise also reported eight further personal bests.
A PB, mate, always happy with a PB,” a puffing Barrett quipped immediately after finishing. “I don’t know how much kicking I’ll be doing after this, though.” The Bronco test is a 1200m shuttle involving running to-and-from a start line to 20, 40 and 60-m marks, five times without a break.
Players had earlier had their temperatures taken on arrival at training and continued to social distance throughout the session as New Zealand continues to implement strict Level 2 protocols.
Barrett joined the Blues after an extended break following last year’s Rugby World Cup and was back training before the coronavirus pandemic forced the suspension of the Super Rugby season.
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