Hurricanes confident of re-signing Barrett
The Hurricanes are confident of keeping Beauden Barrett.
The first five-eighth is offcontract at the end of the Super Rugby season, with the Blues said to be courting him again. Barrett’s rebuffed their advances before and the Hurricanes imagine he’ll do so again.
Not because they’re arrogant or complacent. More because Barrett ‘‘is a Hurricanes man’’ and they’re a team with legitimate hopes of winning a title during his career.
‘‘I’d be really surprised if Beauden left us. He’s a massive part of what we do here,’’ Hurricanes assistant coach John Plumtree said.
"Beauden loves it here, I know his girlfriend Hannah enjoys Wellington so, look, he’s a Hurricanes man and I’m sure that’s what he’ll stay.’’
Plumtree himself was linked to a move to the Highlanders earlier this season, before re-signing with the Hurricanes until the end of the 2018 season. It’s just part of the game.
‘‘All of our good people are going to get approached when they come out of contract by somebody and we’ve got to back ourselves that they enjoy our environment, that they enjoy each other here and we have a pretty happy family,’’ said Plumtree.
‘‘I’m sure he [Barrett] enjoys that part of it as well. I know he’s a massive part of the banter that goes on here. He’s quite a quiet sort of a guy but he is a bit of a tease, so I’m sure he’ll stay a Hurricane.’’
He’s also freakishly talented and more than capable of leading this Hurricanes team to glory. That’s important. The side that made last year’s Super Rugby final was shaped in the image of men such as Conrad Smith, Jeremy Thrush, Ben Franks and Ma’a Nonu.
This is a different group, one in which Barrett is at the absolute heart of. As is wing Julian Savea, who owes his team-mates some decent performances.
The Hurricanes conclude the round robin phase of this year’s competition with a home match against the Blues on Saturday, before road trips to the Waratahs and Crusaders. Savea has been a shadow of his old self all season and only he can change that; not any of his coaches, fans or apologists.
‘‘I think everyone’s probably sick of hearing about Julian Savea, to be honest,’’ Plumtree said.
‘‘It’s up to us to carry on with the work the All Blacks have done with him and up to us that he enjoys his footy while he’s back here. He’s clearly been struggling for a bit of form but the worry for us is that he stops trying things, because that’s what happens [to] good players when they come under pressure. If he stops trying things for us, that’ll be a massive blow.’’
Savea and fellow All Blacks TJ Perenara, Dane Coles, Ardie Savea and Barrett all returned at the Hurricanes’ Rugby League Park headquarters yesterday, where they did a gym session. None had been due until today, so their appearance was both a sign of intent and a boost to those who’ve trained away quietly in their absence. The team to meet the Blues is named on Thursday and early indications are it’ll be a fullstrength lineup.