Beauden Barrett reveals the ‘only thing’ holding him back from being 100 per cent with a ‘long way to go’ in Super Rugby
Blues and All Blacks utility back Beauden Barrett.
All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett is fit and raring to go after recovering from injury and is looking forward to returning to action for the Blues this weekend.
Super Rugby Pacific’s defending champions have received a timely boost after Barrett recovered from a hand fracture and was named in the run-on side for Saturday’s clash with the Hurricanes.
Barrett sustained his injury in the Blues‘ 21-20 home defeat against the Brumbies on March 7 but has made a rapid recovery and will start at fly-half this weekend.
Back to full fitness
The 33-year-old confirmed that he is ready to go as the Blues go in search of only their second victory of the season.
“The only thing holding me back from being back to 100 percent is probably holding a golf club. But in terms of rugby, I’m feeling really good,” Barrett told Radio New Zealand.
The Blues’ only victory of their 2025 Super Rugby Pacific campaign was registered in the corresponding fixture with the Hurricanes in Round Three and they have lost all five of their other matches, which means they are currently in 10th position in the standings.
Barrett admitted that their poor form has led to frustration in the Blues camp but they are ready to get their campaign on track with another positive result against the Hurricanes.
“I’m confident that what we’ve spoken about at the start of this week, has been right on the money,” he said. “We’ve addressed what we needed to, and now it’s all about action.
‘It is a long way to go in this competition’
“So, yeah, of course we want to be higher up the ladder, but we’ve still got to quietly work away and improve because, it is a long way to go in this competition.”
Barrett was a vital cog in the Hurricanes machine between 2011 and 2019 – before joining the Blues – and admitted that he still has a soft spot for the Wellington-based outfit and their head coach Clark Laidlaw, who helped his development as a rugby player during his younger days.
“It’s a team I’m very proud about. You know, playing over 100 games for,” he said. “And I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the coaches I’ve had, I started with Clarky Laidlaw actually going back in the Taranaki sevens days.
“So, of course, there’s a lot of fond memories. [But] a lot of my former teammates have moved on. But my old mate Brad Shields on the bench this week, so it’ll be good to catch up with him after the game.”
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