Ton of talent
It’s often said of hard men that they are prepared to stick their head where others wouldn’t put their feet. Hurricanes first five-eighth Beauden Barrett will be remembered as a lot of things, but tough as teak is unlikely to be the first thing said of him. And yet . . .
Aloof may not be the best word for Barrett but, if being a Hurricane matters deeply to him, he rarely shows it.
He’s not a demonstrative fellow. There’s no ranting or raving and oaths muttered skyward when he scores a try. You don’t see many double firstpumps or instructions barked at team-mates.
And yet, in game No 99 for the franchise, Barrett did something any hard man would be proud of.
As a Jaguares player and Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett chased a kick through, in Buenos Aires on Sunday, Beauden Barrett came from the clouds, diving headlong towards the ball and boots.
Some guys would have only chased back half-heartedly. Others would have got there and tried to volley the ball into touch.
Not Barrett. He dived in, emerged with the ball and kept the Hurricanes’ tryline intact.
If you ever wondered if he cared about being in the team or would do anything to help it succeed, there it was. A simple, selfless act that spoke volumes.
Tomorrow, against the Crusaders at Westpac Stadium, he’ll become only the 12th man to play 100 games for the Hurricanes. It’s the team his dad played for, whom he grew up supporting and whom he now represents with distinction, along with his brother.
To go back to the top, it says plenty about Barrett that he’d rather put his head in harm’s way than be seen big noting ahead of this milestone match.
‘‘It was always a dream to play a game for the Hurricanes and for it to be my 100th this weekend is very special. I don’t want the occasion to be overwhelming, I want to focus on what I have to do and that’s play well for the team. Win or lose, after the game, I’ll be there with my family, my friends looking back over the past seven or eight years,’’ Barrett said.
He made his debut against the Cheetahs, in Bloemfontein, in April 2011.
By June the next year he was an All Black and has barely put a foot wrong since.
His performances in the Hurricanes’ championshipwinning year of 2016 were extraordinary and, at just 26, his best days are probably still ahead of him.
He’s not the only Hurricane bringing up his hundred tomorrow. Tighthead prop Ben May, who played three games for the Crusaders and 33 for the Chiefs along the way, also joins this exclusive club.
Not that he’ll be fighting Barrett for the honour of leading the Hurricanes onto Westpac Stadium.
‘‘No, that’s not my style. Beaudy probably will, though. That’s more up his alley,’’ May joked.
Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd has named the same starting XV
that beat the Jaguares 34-9. There’s plenty of changes on the bench, though, notably the drafting in of former Blues and New Zealand Maori prop Marcel Renata.
The Hurricanes are very thin in that position, with Alex Fidow out for four to six weeks with a fractured cheek and Toby Smith still negotiating his concussion protocols.
The best news concerns Jeff To’omaga-Allen (hamstring), who might have a run for the Hurricanes Development team next week.