Beauden Barrett is confident that he is now in sync with Scott Robertson after a challenging first year for New Zealand under the Crusaders legend.
The 33-year-old had never been coached by the new All Blacks head coach, who took over following the 2023 Rugby World Cup, having only played on the North Island for the Hurricanes, Blues and Taranaki.
Robertson, meanwhile, started his off-field career at Canterbury, where he was an assistant for five years, before taking over as the head honcho and then moving into Super Rugby in 2017 with the Crusaders.
Robertson’s Super Rugby success
He enjoyed remarkable success with the franchise as they won seven titles in as many seasons, which convinced New Zealand Rugby to act.
For the first time since 2004, the governing body decided not to appoint from within, leading to an overhaul of the coaching staff.
With a number of key players also departing, there was some significant upheaval for the All Blacks last year, but Barrett feels that they are now on the right track.
At the Blues’ training base in Auckland, the playmaker was asked if he understood Robertson’s methods and whether they were on the same page after a 2024 which saw them win 10 of their 14 matches.
Barrett initially responded by joking about the boss’ ability to not give anything away, quipping: “I think one of his beauties and strengths is you never really know what he’s thinking; that’s one of his superpowers.”
The fly-half then revealed that they have regularly been in contact and also how the messages are delivered in the All Blacks set-up.
“But certainly the relationship is good. We talk often and that’s what you want. You want to have honest conversations with the head coach,” he added.
“It’s more with Scott Hansen and Jason Holland on the rugby side of things. But to answer that question: yes.”
Beauden Barrett worried about ‘bad precedent’ if Scott Robertson gets his way
Barrett ended the season as the first choice All Blacks fly-half, despite Damian McKenzie starting the first eight matches of 2024.
Those two will once again battle for the shirt in 2025, especially with Richie Mo’unga now not returning home early from Japan after reports emerged that NZR were unable to agree his release.
Early All Blacks marker
Coincidently, those two could well face-off in the Super Rugby Pacific opener when the Blues host the Chiefs, giving them an opportunity to lay down a marker.
“I always really enjoy going head-to-head with my mate and I think more importantly it’s a rematch from last year’s final,” Barrett said.
“They probably want a little bit of revenge. For us, it’s an opportunity for the fans to come out and feel their support because Eden Park’s a great place to play rugby.
“For me, if I’m part of the team, I’m really excited to get back into it.”
READ MORE: Justin Marshall boldly predicts next All Blacks wunderkind to have a ‘statement year’ after Scott Robertson tip
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The post All Blacks: Beauden Barrett reveals one of Scott Robertson’s ‘superpowers’ : Planet Rugby first appeared on Rugby 247.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2025-02-03 17:38:44
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