Greener pastures: Why NZ wins in Jordie’s Irish deal
Analysis: Jordie Barrett and the All Blacks are getting the best of both worlds but his move will put noses out of joint in Ireland, writes Paul Cully.
Jordie Barrett has picked the right place to go for his six-month stint away from New Zealand.
Irish powerhouses Leinster aren’t in the business of flogging players.
They managed Johnny Sexton through to the Rugby World Cup last year at the ripe old age of 38, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Barrett play no more games in Europe than he otherwise would have in New Zealand.
Leinster already have Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne and Charlie Ngatai at No 12 options, although it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ngatai now move on – potentially back to Aotearoa.
Leinster will manage Barrett carefully, and while he’ll be important in the United Rugby Championship games during the Six Nations period in February-March when most of the Leinster’s squad are playing for Ireland, you would assume they really want for him for the big Champions Cup fixtures in May next year.
That will be a great personal experience for Barrett, and he’ll bring back a lot of knowledge about the Irish players when he returns in the middle of 2025 for his longterm contract with New Zealand Rugby and the Hurricanes through to 2028.
In fact, it’s hard not to see Barrett, the Hurricanes and the All Blacks as the big winners of this deal.
The Hurricanes have to pay the cost of missing Barrett for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition, but they already have ‘proof of concept’ that this works.
Would Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai be in such fine form had Ardie Savea not been in Japan this season? It’s doubtful.
So, impressive youngster Riley Higgins could be next year’s Iose or Lakai, benefiting from Barrett’s absence. In fact, Barrett’s sabbatical might even be important for the Hurricanes in terms of retaining younger talent such as Higgins, because players don’t want to be waiting indefinitely for their chance.
As for the All Blacks, Barrett’s signature is a big statement to the rest of the playing group. It’s one of their best players, in the prime years of his career, telling everyone he’s all in for the long haul.
After the loss of Richie Mo’unga last year, that is exactly the sort of message that NZ Rugby wants to send out.
Barrett’s a big deal. He’s world class, and his retention means that New Zealand is far from ready to give up in the ongoing and complex battle for playing talent.
Barrett’s deal creates a happy player, happy franchise and happy All Blacks coach.
Frankly, it’s a lot harder to see what the Irish get out of it. Yes, it will excite Leinster fans, but at what cost?
Leinster are not exactly struggling as it is. They smashed Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle 40-13 in the Champions Cup quarterfinals at the weekend, and can roll out a first XV that makes up about 75% of the Ireland team.
The truth may be much more nuanced, but the IRFU will be accused of overseeing the creation of a super province in Ireland, with Munster, Ulster and Connacht left in Leinster’s wake.
Barrett may need to sit a crash course in Irish rugby politics before he shifts north, but for the Hurricanes and the All Blacks it’s a case of a job well done.