Barrett is still the All Blacks’ top man in No 10
One ordinary performance is not going to make the coaching team rethink their pecking order after the Hurricane’s brilliant season.
He looked tired and a bit washed out [at Eden Park], he’d had a bug for a couple of days ... [the goalkicking] was not where he wanted to be, but his routines have been good. Ian Foster
Don’t be fooled by Eden Park. Beauden Barrett remains the All Blacks’ premier No 10, and one of their best and most influential performers of 2016 to boot.
But he’s tired. He’s sick. He probably needs to be managed through this end-of-year tour. And it just so happens that the All Blacks are ready to give Aaron Cruden a big cuddle and make their pitch to him as he faces a big decision on his future.
So, maybe on this tour they kill two birds with one stone.
They job-share the first fiveeighths role through four pretty winnable tests − actually, let’s face it, they’re all winnable for Steve Hansen’s men in the form they’re in − and they don’t drain every last drop out of the Barrett fuel tank.
Let’s not forget that Barrett has had a bigger year than most. He was one of the key Hurricanes performers as they made that emotional, and high-octane, charge to their first Super Rugby championship.
He has also played all 10 tests for the All Blacks this year, starting the last eight on the trot.
And he has been superb. Until that game too far at Eden Park last Saturday night when Barrett had a rare ordinary day at the office.
He missed all three of his shots at goal.
He struggled to make his customary impact with ball in hand. Though, to be fair, his forwards did him no favours as they were beaten to the punch for the entire 43 minutes he was on the paddock.
Cruden’s introduction was the first ingredient in the All Blacks’ turnaround, from a precarious 15-10 to a dominant 37-10 as they finally unleashed something resembling their A game. But I’m not too sure we should read too much into it.
I talked to assistant coach Ian Foster about Barrett’s flat display and got the impression they weren’t about to get knee-jerk about a rare off day.
‘‘We just need Beauden to carry on doing what he’s doing,’’ said Foster of looming duties. ‘‘He looked tired and a bit washed out [at Eden Park], he’d had a bug for a couple of days ... [the goalkicking] was not where he wanted to be, but his routines have been good. He did look tired, but I just reminded him he’s been a major part of us getting to the 18 [wins in a row] and not to dwell on one game that didn’t quite go his way.’’
As has become customary, the All Blacks have a firm grip on this. Barrett, along with Brodie Retallick and Ben Smith, was their best performer through the Rugby Championship. He has been, by some margin, New Zealand’s player of the year when you factor in his efforts for the Canes.
The guy is an excitement machine when he is presented with front-foot ball and has unleashed an array of skills that have been a treat to watch. He has taken the playmaking role to the next level, and been widely lauded as the most influential , and exciting, player in the game.
Hansen and Foster aren’t suddenly going to rethink their pecking order at 10 on the strength of one flat effort. Barrett will remain their man heading into next year, and rightly so with his explosive running game, astute tactical awareness and stunning ability to connect with his fellow game-breakers.
But the All Blacks won’t want to lose Cruden if they can help it, and a chance for him to show his stuff on this tour won’t do any harm. This group leaves no stone unturned when it comes to ‘‘future proofing’’ and they’ll do what they can to retain their options at No 10.
But if Cruden goes (and the money must be sorely tempting) then life will go on. Lima Sopoaga will step up, Damian McKenzie will start his apprenticeship in the position and the promising Richie Mo’unga will move a rung up the ladder.
A quick word on the Michael Cheika meltdown after Eden Park. I agree wholeheartedly with Hansen that it was a great shame the Wallaby coach’s fragile mental state ‘‘hijacked’’ the All Blacks’ moment as they ticked up that world record 18th straight victory.
A night that should have been all about celebrating All Black excellence was instead turned into a series of headlines around Cheika’s wild accusations. A good hard look in the mirror is the order of the day for the struggling coach. He’ll get respect when it’s earned, and not before.
It was all a shame. In the media world we live in the real stories sometimes get buried by the clickinducing ones. This was a case in point.
Maybe it was what Cheika intended: diverting us all away from the real story which was how easily his team has been bested by the All Blacks in 2016.
Shame on that. Shame on him.