All Blacks great: How the Richie Mo’unga situation could impact ‘under pressure’ Beauden Barrett who ‘needs’ to rediscover form
Beauden Barrett in action for the All Blacks and New Zealand great Jeff Wilson.
Beauden Barrett is not a guaranteed pick for Dave Rennie’s squad for the Nations Championship after suffering a dip in form at the Blues.
That is according to former All Blacks star Jeff Wilson, who believes that the Test centurion is fighting for his place in the 34-man that the new head coach will name for the mid-year series.
Barrett has been a mainstay of the team for the past decade but he has struggled to ignite the Blues attack this season.
Blues struggles
It is not completely the fly-half’s fault, with Vern Cotter’s men focusing on physicality over creativity since his arrival, but it is putting his All Blacks place under threat.
Damian McKenzie and Ruben Love are certainties to be picked by Rennie and the 34-year-old is the next obvious selection, but Wilson claims that the Chiefs’ Josh Jacomb could conceivably get that third spot.
Asked on The Breakdown whether Jacomb could be named in the wider training squad, Wilson responded: “Yes, 100 per cent. Not in the team but I’m saying he’s in the conversation if he has a really good month.
“I think a player that is under pressure at the moment, on the back of a frustrating season for him, is Beauden Barrett.
“I know how classy he has been in the past but we’re not seeing an inspired Beauden Barrett at the moment in this Blues team. There’s no doubt if someone was to put their hand up [he could lose his place].”
Barrett chances of making the squad would be diminished further if Richie Mo’unga was available and many are pressing for his inclusion in the Springboks series, which takes place after the Nations Championship.
“I think it would be a really interesting conversation if Richie Mo’unga was available for selection about who’s going to get the opportunity in a black jersey,” Wilson said.
“I’m hoping that Beauden over the next few weeks rediscovers his best form because I think he needs to.”
Another All Blacks great, Mils Muliaina, joined Wilson on the panel and insisted that he will be picked but admitted that the Mo’unga factor could change that.
“You don’t underestimate the experience he’s got. He will be there. He’s in a struggling Blues outfit but you’re right, if Richie was in the mix he could be under some immense pressure,” Muliaina said.
“[But] it’s Beauden Barrett, man. You’re saying if Jacomb has a big month, but I still would have Barrett in there. There’s no way you undermine that experience.”
Scrum-half issues
Another playmaking puzzle Rennie has to solve is the scrum-half situation. While Cam Roigard is guaranteed to take the number nine jersey, the person that takes his place on the bench is a more difficult question.
There are a number of options, with Noah Hotham, Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston all in contention, but no one has stuck their hand up in 2026.
“Noah Hotham’s definitely in the conversation, there’s no doubt Cortez Ratima should be in it but at the moment not getting a lot of game time for the Chiefs,” Wilson said.
“Xavier Roe is heading overseas, so he’s a no, he’s another player that’s leaving.
“Kyle Preston, fundamentally he’s a hell of a half-back, I really love what he’s done. Louie Chapman, who’s played for the Crusaders, he’s leaving as well.
“There are not a huge number of options out there right now. Once again, in the next month someone will put up their hand.
“I would probably have to go Hotham right now but it’s hard to convince myself.”
Donald rates the quality of scrum-halves below Roigard but admits that no one has particularly stood out this season.
“We’ve got Cam Roigard at the moment who’s on another planet and then you’ve got everyone else who are very good half-backs but are just in teams who are not putting their cases forward, like Cortez, who is not playing, so there is a bit of a gap,” he said.
Muliaina is more worried, however and added: “It’s a bit of a concern to be honest if there’s such a big gap between Roigard and the next person.”
