The rise and rise of Jordie Barrett
Ygain.
The inference is that Joe Sportsman is so talented that he could have been a star in this other code too. It’s just that, when you read the fine print, the deeds in the other sport or sports are often unremarkable.
Twenty-year-old Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett will start a test match for the first time tomorrow, when the All Blacks meet the British and Irish Lions in the deciding test of their three-game series.
Barrett was a schoolboy golfer of some renown and helped the Francis Douglas Memorial College rugby league team to a Taranaki title. But his main sport in those days was cricket and he was good at it.
An opening bowler, Barrett went through the Central Districts agegroup system. That culminated in captaincy of their under-19 team and being placed on standby for the New
candidates for man of the series, you think about Kieran Read and Brodie Retallick and Sam Cane and maybe even Codie Taylor on the All Blacks’ side of the ball. Where have all the backs gone, and the answer is that we haven’t seen them yet.
Bou’re entitled to roll your eyes when stories start by saying sport X’s loss has been sport Y’s
ut when you look at the Lions for a potential man of the series you think Sean O’brien and perhaps Jamie George among the forwards, but then you consider Conor Murray and Jonathan Davies, and maybe even the two wings, and don’t rule out Johnny Sexton.
Aaron Cruden, who will play his 50th and probably final test tomorrow, admitted, ‘‘In those crucial moments we weren’t as polished as we usually Zealand under-19 World Cup squad.
Even at school, he was a regular in Taranaki’s men’s team. He also played for Central Districts A and was 12th man for CD’S top team – the Stags – as an 18-year-old.
‘‘He was a leader, he was clever, understood the game,’’ CD operations manager Scott Briasco said.
‘‘I’d seen him when he was 17 and thought ‘there’s not much there’. But the following year he worked hard and his ability to address the areas the coaches wanted him to work on and the improvement he showed in that time was amazing.
‘‘That work ethic, that desire to take responsibility; he was outstanding. Just his calm nature, his ability to analyse and say ‘I’ll do it’ rather than leave it to someone else.’’
Previously someone who bowled inswingers from wide on the crease, Barrett went away and worked on delivering from closer to the stumps and taking the ball away from righthanders. ‘‘He could just about do the lot,’’ said Briasco.
But there was always a sense that rugby’s call would grow too loud to ignore. No-one thought Barrett would go on to be an All Black within two
are. One thing we’ve spoken about is we’d like to go up in sevens this week.’’
Beauden Barrett said: ‘‘We want to use the ball more.’’
But Cruden and Barrett know that the lack of ambition was partly because years but few young men turn rugby down, as Briasco knows.
All Blacks outside back Israel Dagg was an opening bowler for CD’S agegroup teams. He once impressed Australia’s Brett Lee so much in a netbowling session against Ricky the Lions were able to shut down the All Blacks’ time and space. And in big games, like the World Cup final, the walls tend to close in even more.
When asked about Julian Savea coming into the side Hansen said: ‘‘I’d Ponting and others that Lee had Dagg sit with him during the next day’s one-day international against New Zealand at Mclean Park.
Highlanders lock Joe Wheeler was also a CD under-17 fast bowler in Dagg’s day. Rugby beckoned Wheeler too and he was in the New Zealand Maori squad that met the Lions earlier in this tour.
"I can’t understand why Jordie felt that [he had to go to rugby]. In two or three years he could’ve got a $30,000 [domestic] cricket contract; now he can probably buy CD,’’ a chuckling Briasco said.
The composure and attention to detail that were evident in Barrett’s cricket have been a feature of his first year in Super Rugby. He began the season with the New Zealand under-20 team likely to be his priority, but injury to others and his own form quickly made him a first-choice player for the Hurricanes and someone All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had to consider.
Tomorrow at Eden Park could be a daunting prospect for some young men, but everything Barrett’s done over the years suggests he’ll handle it without fuss.
like to see him beat a few people.’’
But so far in this series the All Blacks haven’t been able to create the space to beat a few people. Warren Gatland even cheekily remarked that the Lions defence hadn’t really been stressed. It may be true, but it’s the sort of remark that can come back and bite you.
The All Blacks meanwhile keep saying they are excited, while talking like they’ve just been watching The Piano on an endless loop. Eyes glaze, their voices flatline, monotonous and dull, a bit like their rugby in the series so far. So far the excitement machine is just talk. The whole country is desperate for that to change tomorrow.
Let’s just hope that doesn’t get to this young team and they can keep the airwaves open.