Ex-All Black reveals surprising aspect of Jordie Barrett’s INSANE performance in the Champions Cup
Leinster utility back Jordie Barrett and former All Blacks hooker James Parsons.
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons has revealed that there was one aspect of Jordie Barrett’s performance for Leinster in their 52-0 win over Glasgow Warriors which surprised him.
Barrett is currently on a six-month sabbatical at Leinster and delivered an outstanding performance as the Irish province booked their spot in the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals with that emphatic triumph at the Aviva Stadium on Friday.
The All Blacks utility back featured at inside centre against the Warriors and delivered an excellent all-round performance which saw him being rewarded with the official man-of-the-match award after the game.
Brilliant statistics
This, after Barrett finished with a joint match-high 15 carries, gained 39 metres while also completing 17 passes and five offloads. Apart from that, the 28-year-old also made five kicks, 14 tackles and won three turnovers.
Parsons praised Barrett’s decision to take his sabbatical with Leinster saying it’s improved him as a player while revealing that his superb work at the breakdowns caught him by surprise.
“I think we mentioned a few weeks back about how impressive it is that he’s chosen this direction to get better, he wants to grow his game and use his sabbatical that way,” he told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“And I suppose it’s also showing how important the 12 jersey is in the trends of rugby, you know, there’s always that fixation on nine and 10, but as we’ve seen even in Super Rugby with David Havili (at the Crusaders), the importance of that 12 position.
‘He actually just got the turnover or he was looking for the strip’
“But most of that I’m not surprised with, but I suppose the biggest area that to me is more prevalent is the breakdown turnovers, the ability to tackle and get the turnover and none of them lead to penalties, he actually just got the turnover or he was looking for the strip.
“It was such a performance and I also like the after match interview where he goes, ‘if you care enough’, because they’re like, ‘oh, how hard was it to back up and how hard is it going to be back up?’ And he goes, ‘well, if you care enough, you will’.
“So there’s clearly just an edge about his preparation and the way he works during the week and he’s getting the rewards for it.”
Former Crusaders scrum-half Bryn Hall echoed Parsons sentiments that Barrett’s game has improved by playing in a Leinster team which is filled with Ireland internationals and with coaches like Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber calling the shots.
“Getting the minds of people from the Irish who have been successful, the South Africans who have been successful,” he said.
“You can also talk about the squad that they have. When you’re playing outside an Irish nine, 10, 13, 15 as well, we talk around the spine and then we’re talking around the loose fortress with (Josh) van der Flier and obviously the more that they have there.
“The players that he’s playing with, the more that he’s probably been able to learn how they are playing.
“And to be honest, it just looks like he’s worrying about his own role and being able to execute his skill set. So the good thing that I like about Leinster at the moment is they’re playing to his skill set.”
