Beauden Barrett ‘playing like he’s still in his 20s’ as veteran All Black primed for Hurricanes showdown
Blues and All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett.
The Blues have received some positive news on the injury front after it was revealed that several players, including All Blacks star Beauden Barrett, are on the road to recovery.
Barrett, who suffered a hand fracture in the Blues’ 21-20 defeat against the Brumbies in Round Four of Super Rugby Pacific, returned to training ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Hurricanes at Eden Park.
Hookers Kurt Eklund (groin) and Ricky Riccitelli (chest), back-rowers Anton Segner (concussion) and Adrian Choat (knee), and props PJ Scheck (shoulder) and Ben Ake (shoulder) also participated in the training session.
Set to return to action against the Hurricanes
Barrett sustained his injury on March 7 and Blues head coach Vern Cotter initially said that “It doesn’t look particularly good” immediately after the Brumbies clash but then revealed that he’s optimistic that the All Blacks star could be back in action for the Hurricanes encounter.
“For Beauden, I think it’s positive. We’re looking at three to four weeks,” he told Stuff in the week after the loss to the Brumbies.
And it looks like the 33-year-old is on course to make his comeback from injury this weekend.
“Beaudy brings so much experience,” Blues assistant coach Greg Feek told 1News. “He’s playing like he’s still in his 20s. He has so much pace — he’s still got his smarts, and he brings a lot of confidence.
“He’s also unpredictable which is helpful to our game plan.”
Blues battling in Super Rugby Pacific
Super Rugby Pacific‘s defending champions are finding the going tough this year as they are currently languishing in 10th position in the 11-team competition with just seven points amassed from six matches played.
They have the same number of points as the bottom-placed Fijian Drua, who are below them in the standings by virtue of an inferior points difference.
The Blues’ only victory was registered in their corresponding fixture against the Hurricanes when they clinched a narrow 33-29 triumph at Sky Stadium in Wellington.
Feek is positive the men from Auckland can return to winning ways against the Hurricanes this weekend.
“We’re massively excited about this weekend and… seeing the boys train this week… there’s a good vibe going on,” he added.
“There’s a hunger now – we’ve always had that but it’s been simplified down into what we’ve got to do.”
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