ON THE EDGE OF GREAT
IF YOU WANT TO PLAY TO 35, 36 THERE IS NO SECRET…YOU HAVE TO RECOVER WELL. WHETHER IT IS RUNNING AROUND FOR COASTAL ON A SATURDAY OR PROFESSIONAL FOOTY; AS LONG AS I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND HAVE PLENTY OF DRIVE THEN I WOULD LOVE MY BODY TO KEEP ME GOING FOR AS LONG AS I CAN.’
BEAUDEN BARRETT
There must be times when Beauden Barrett can only shake his head, shrug his shoulders and not take things personally.
He was World Rugby player of the year in 2016 and 2017 and yet by July 2018 he was being treated almost as an imposter in the All Blacks No 10 jersey.
All that he had done was seemingly forgotten in an instant when Richie Mo’unga steered the Crusaders to a consecutive Super Rugby title and persuaded a number of people – not just Cantabrians – that his time had come to inherit the All Blacks’ play-making kingdom.
That Mo’unga is a special player with a huge future is not disputed, but this haste to be shot of Barrett was as harsh as it was mad.
Barrett hadn’t enjoyed his best Super Rugby campaign and he missed half of the French series with injury, but was that really justification to start suggesting his days as the All Blacks’ preferred first-five were over and that he should make way for the Young Pretender?
Seemingly for about the half country it was, but thankfully All Blacks coach Steve Hansen was not one of them.
“We have to build slowly with Richie and build his experience. But in the
