Blindside Barrett gets thumbs up from Hansen
Scott Barrett, the Crusaders lock who has impressed during his brief time with the All Blacks, has been given another chance to prove his value to Steve Hansen after being named as blindside flanker against the Force.
In fact, Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has revealed he sought clearance from his All Blacks counterpart Hansen before selecting the 23-year-old Barrett in the No 6 jersey, a position the young man has all the skills to excel in ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour in June.
Barrett, the brother of All Blacks first-five Beauden, and “apprentice” Jordie, has played four tests, starting one at lock and making two appearances as a second row replacement.
In the other, the victory over Ireland in Dublin in November, he came off the reserves bench as a loose forward and his adaptability could make him a valuable member of Hansen’s 33-player squad to take on the Lions.
“I’ve been planting the seeds for him to play No 6 for a long time,” Robertson said yesterday.
“I got the nod from Steve Hansen, who said ‘yep, it’s all good to go’. [Scott] is getting comfortable there with the amount of minutes he’s getting at training, and now it’s his chance to get a start . . . he’s a great athlete, as the Barretts are.”
Barrett, who scored a try and was outstanding for the All Blacks on debut as a replacement lock — the defeat to Ireland in Chicago — has started all four of the Crusaders’ past matches alongside skipper Sam Whitelock in the second row, but moves to allow fellow All Black Luke Romano to start in the No 4 jersey.
Robertson’s selection allows for an extremely tall pack against the Force, who have one win from three matches this season.
Barrett’s pace, ball skills and workrate are such that he has the ability to thrive there, creating further options not just for Robertson but also Hansen.
The Crusaders, unbeaten this season, have rarely had an easy time of it against the men from Perth, despite the apparent gulf in quality on paper. And, after three incredible comebacks in their past three matches, the Crusaders would do well to start with a bang this time at AMI Stadium against a team whose future under Sanzaar’s potential new structure remains up in the air.
Wearing the No 7 jersey for the Crusaders will be Matt Todd after his recovery from a calf injury.