Jordie Barrett’s verdict on Leinster’s Champions Cup defeat: ‘I might have to try to go back’
All Blacks and Leinster back Reiko Ioane and an inset of Jordie Barrett.
Jordie Barrett is open to a possible return to Leinster and has weighed in on the Irish club’s latest Investec Champions Cup disappointment.
Leinster fell to a crushing 41-19 defeat at the hands of Bordeaux in the final of the competition in Bilbao at the weekend, with the Irish giants failing to win their first title since 2018.
Since beating Racing 92 eight years ago, Leo Cullen’s men have finished as runners-up on five occasions and were knocked out at the semi-final stages last season during Barrett’s short-term stint at the side.
Champions Cup was ‘tough to watch’
A fifth Champions Cup title continues to elude Leinster, whose former player tuned in during the early hours of Sunday morning in New Zealand to see the game unfold and was left gutted for his ex-teammates.
“I was pretty intrigued. Salesi Rayasi is a good mate of mine, and then a lot of good Leinster mates and Reiko Ioane,” Barrett told the KOKO Show. “It was a tough one to watch, actually, for both sides. Five European losses in a row, they mustn’t know where to look by now.
“I was gutted for them because I was over there last year when we lost a semi-final against Northampton, who were flying at the time, and now the French teams have won the last six.
“You got to be good enough to beat a Top 14 side now if you want to win it but sure they definitely have the group there. Like, unbelievable boys, and I thought I was coached really well last year by the Leinster coaches. I’m not sure whether it was the heat of Bilbao and the Irish boys weren’t used to that.”
Still, the All Black was impressed that Leinster continue to be able to reach the latter stages of the competition season after season despite not having the finishing touches, and he suggested that perhaps he should return to the club to have another crack.
“Teams will have a championship window, and then that’ll close over a couple of years,” he said. “Leinster still always seem to be doing the right thing by getting there and probably just need a little bit of luck to get one or two.
“I imagine that all they need is to get one, and the second will come. I couldn’t do it last year, so I might have to try to go back and win one.”
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Barrett’s potential Leinster return and chasing two titles
Pressed as to whether he would consider leaving New Zealand shores later in his career, Barrett did not shy away from the question, having enjoyed his time at the Irish province. He further delved into the challenges that Leinster face.
“Yeah, potentially. Like, I loved my time in Dublin, great boys, and that’s certainly something I’ll look at trying to do potentially in the future,” he said.
“European rugby is amazing, and the other thing with Leinster, last year we were juggling trying to win a URC, which we were able to do for the first time in seven or eight years, which was awesome, as well as managing a squad to win the European Championship.
“The other thing the Leinster boys have to juggle is the 22 or 23 international players. So, trying to manage those boys week to week in the URC, but then trying to target the European final as well. There’s a lot of moving parts, but I certainly enjoyed it.
“The fun weeks were actually playing with a few of the academy boys and some club players and just trying to graft out a win on a cold night against Connacht, but then also enjoyable in those big European games as well.”
