Laurie Mains backing Barrett as ABs first-five
Laurie Mains says Beauden Barrett should be the All Blacks’ No 10, but has given them a ‘‘moderate pass’’ in the wake of their 50 per cent success rate under new coach Ian Foster.
‘‘Personally, I prefer Beauden Barrett at first five- eighth,’’ Mains told the Sunday StarTimes.
‘‘In the situations where you are under a great deal of pressure, he just seems to have that uncanny knack of creating something to take the pressure off the rest of his backline.
‘‘Now that is no criticism of Richie Mo’unga, who is a fabulous rugby player, but in those real pressure situations Barrett seems to be able to create a little bit more.’’
Mains, All Blacks coach between 1992-95, said even when taking into account the chaos caused by the pandemic, the All Blacks will know their 2020 record opens them up to scrutiny.
‘‘It has been a very difficult and unusual season for them, but I would give them a moderate pass. They have achieved what they set out to, in that they retained the Bledisloe Cup and the Tri Nations, but there would be parts of their game that they will probably want to improve.’’
But NZ Rugby shouldn’t make the mistake of judging the team’s season solely on trophies won during Foster’s first year in charge.
Foster, as much as anyone, will accept three wins and a draw from six tests, albeit during a season disrupted by Covid- 19, didn’t reach the high standards expected of the All Blacks.
The first- ever defeat to the Pumas, as well as a loss and draw to the Wallabies, contributed to a modest winning ratio and overshadowed the record 43-5 victory over the Aussies in Sydney.
Although the All Blacks exacted revenge on the Pumas with a comprehensive 38- 0 victory in Newcastle, concerns about defensive frailties under pressure and the forwards’ inability to match the Pumas’ fire in the historical 25-15 loss, remain.
The consensus among the rugby community is the All Blacks, given their up-and-down season, were lucky the world champion Springboks refused to play their Sanzaar stablemates.
Contracted to the end of 2021, Foster will have to extract better results next year if he’s to convince NZ Rugby he should be signed through to the 2023 World Cup in France.
Mains said it was clear the All Blacks must be better, and while impressed with new captain and openside flanker Sam Cane, he believed the forwards had the most to prove next year – even if Foster tinkered with selections.
‘‘ It is year one for them, and they need to be finding out which players will be fitting into their pattern. They are very much entitled to do a little bit of experimenting.’’
Yet, for many of us, there remain unanswered questions about what the perfect All Blacks’ cocktail should be. And whether Foster, himself, knows its vital ingredients.
While Foster made three changes to the forwards for the final test against the Pumas, bringing in tighthead prop Nepo Laulala, lock Scott Barrett and blindside flanker Akira Ioane, the backline remained untouched.
Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett stayed at No 10 and 15 respectively, and Jordie Barrett was, again, preferred on the right wing.
The Mo’unga-Barrett combination, a hangover from last year’s World Cup, ensured Foster could field dual playmakers, but Mains believed Barrett would offer more
‘‘It has been a very difficult and unusual season for them, but I would give them a moderate pass.’’
value as the starting 10.
Anton Lienert-Brown and Jack Goodhue played at secondfive and centre under previous coach Steve Hansen at the RWC in Japan, but Foster asked them to swap midfield positions – with mixed results.
During the 19-7 defeat to England in the semifinal the All Blacks’ forwards couldn’t measure-up in terms of intensity, which empowered the men in white to suffocate the attacking talents of Goodhue and LienertBrown. The Wallabies and Pumas did the same in the Tri Nations and again the All Blacks midfield was compromised.
Although he says he’s a Lienert-Brown supporter, Mains said it was vital to look at the men with the single digits on their backs when trying to determine why the midfielders had battled for space and time.
‘‘ If they didn’t look at their best in the games over there, I think you have to look at the whole team rather than just isolate those two players’ performances.’’
Foster settled on captain Ardie Savea, Cane and Ioane as his loose forward unit for the final test, with Hoskins Sotutu in the reserves and Shannon Frizell out in the cold.
Ioane’s second test start at blindside flanker coincided with the tight five being much more energetic — he also displayed maturity by not trying to spark altercations.
Yet Mains still believes Frizell is the more complete No 6.
‘‘ The arrogance seemed to have disappeared as he [ Ioane] concentrated more on playing rugby which is all we want to do,’’ Mains said.
‘‘It was a lot easier for him on Saturday night than it had been for Shannon Frizell in the previous games.
‘‘Personally, I think Frizell is a better player. But they are very, very close. Frizell has had an outstanding year. They are slightly different and it would come down to what the All Blacks’ selectors want in their game plan from their No 6.’’
Foster’s second year as head coach will be interesting. He must win tests, but manipulating the game plan is going to be crucial if the All Blacks are to keep their opponents guessing.
Mains, who remains optimistic the All Blacks are on the right track, expected Foster to tweak his tactics, and method of how they attack and create go-forward ball. ‘‘So we need to make some subtle changes. It is not major, and we have certainly got the personnel to do it.’’