Beauden Barrett is ‘changing the conversation’ around the All Blacks playmakers as Jeff Wilson claims Dave Rennie doesn’t want to take Will Jordan ‘last resort’
Beauden Barrett and Will Jordan in action for the All Blacks.
Ex-All Blacks back three star Jeff Wilson believes that it is Beauden Barrett’s form rather than Damian McKenzie’s which will cause more “selection headaches” for Dave Rennie.
The 35-year-old started the international campaign down the pecking order but injuries to Ruben Love and Richie Mo’unga opened up an opportunity for the Test centurion.
McKenzie shifted from full-back to take the place of Love and Mo’unga, producing two stellar displays in the 2-0 Bledisloe Cup triumph over the Wallabies.
At 10 and 15 for Scotland clash
Barrett duly came into the team at 15 and those two have dovetailed excellently since then, retaining their spots for the start of the Nations Championship against Scotland.
Will Jordan is another option at full-back but it appears as though Rennie very much sees the All Blacks’ record try-scorer as a winger.
“You talk about Will Jordan playing full-back, I think that’s probably one of their last resorts, they clearly want to see the All Blacks’ leading try-scorer scoring tries on the wing,” Wilson told Sport Nation.
“I think it gives us great versatility if something was to happen in-game; that’s where it’s so important.”
Wilson was also asked about McKenzie, who has stepped into Love’s and Mo’unga’s shoes superbly, possibly making fly-half his long-term position.
He was very much Rennie’s first choice 15 before the Bledisloe Cup, however, and the former All Blacks full-back suggests that his role will depend on whether Barrett keeps up his high standards.
“If he continues this great form at 10, how does that impact Beauden Barrett?” he said.
“As we go into these games, Richie won’t be available this week, he’s targeting Wales, what does that mean for Beauden Barrett?
“As much as he was great against Australia, and he was, this is a different challenge, this is a different type of game the northern hemisphere presents.
“If he continues his good form, I think it will be him who might give the selectors headaches because their preferred option was clearly McKenzie at 15 – that was the guy they wanted at 15.”
Roles reversed
It wasn’t that long ago Barrett’s Rugby World Cup ambitions looked in doubt with Love, Mo’unga and McKenzie an enticing playmaking trio, but he has now put two of them under severe pressure heading into 2027.
“If Beauden Barrett keeps playing well and McKenzie keeps playing well, that puts pressure on the return of Ruben Love next season and Richie Mo’unga,” Wilson added.
“Not only does he (Mo’unga) have to come over the top of Ruben Love, now you’ve got to come over the top of McKenzie.
“I think this is a really intriguing net couple of weeks around that 10 and 15 conversation, and we haven’t even mentioned Josh Jacomb, right.
“That’s where the more interesting thing is for me; every game Beauden Barrett plays well, the conversation changes.
“For everyone, we weren’t sure what impact he might still have in the All Blacks jersey because he wasn’t getting an opportunity. What we saw, he still has a lot of things to offer.”
