Numbers game is adding up for Jordie
Jordie Barrett says his versatility was rammed home to him when he was handed the All Blacks No 11 jersey which the great Jonah Lomu made his trademark.
The late Lomu is synonymous with the left wing, even cutting 11 into his left eyebrow to highlight his hold on the position.
Barrett’s range of skills have seen him play at fullback, both wings and No 10 for the All Blacks.
It was when he was named to play on the left wing against Argentina last year that the numbers game dawned on Barrett.
‘‘I‘d never really thought about the numbers thing and the whole aura around the jerseys, until the first time I played on the left wing,’’ Barrett told Rugby Pass as he discussed his incredible ability to switch positions.
‘‘I think I’d just finished training and the team had just been released publicly or something and one of my mates texted me to say, ‘Far out, you’re in the 11 jersey, that’s Jonah Lomu’s jersey!’
‘‘I’m very different from Lomu obviously, but I guess that spelled out a bit of the significance around the jersey numbers for me.’’
Barrett said he took special joy in starting a test at No 10 as he did in last year’s World Cup when the All Blacks rested their key playmakers for the pool match against Namibia.
‘‘That week I got the 10 jersey was pretty incredible,’’ Barrett told Rugby Pass.
‘‘Obviously, Beaudie [Barrett, his brother] had been playing a lot at 10 and, of course, DC [Dan Carter] was my idol growing up. When I was a kid, everyone wanted to be like Dan Carter and so that was such a cool week.
‘‘It was one of the most nervous weeks I’ve had in a long time but I enjoyed it. It was so satisfying coming off that field against Namibia.’’
Barrett says he is keen to get some consistency at fullback for the Hurricanes but believes playing other positions has helped his overall game.
‘‘Some people look at it and think being moved around can be a hindrance, especially at this time of my career,’’ Barrett said.
‘‘But the way I’m thinking about it, and hopefully I’m right in a few year’s time, I reckon I’ll look back and be thankful for it because you learn so much in so many different positions. You learn what other players want from you, you learn how to attack and defend, you learn what’s easy and what’s hard and what not to do.
‘‘Playing at 15, I can tell how a wing is going to defend now and which systems teams are using just from having played there.
‘‘So hopefully it helps me in a way, as my career progresses. But I’ve just enjoyed playing different positions.’’