Scott Barrett ‘under the microscope’ as ex-All Blacks forward believes he is getting the Sam Cane treatment
James Parsons has rejected the notion that Scott Barrett's form has dipped.
Former Blues and All Blacks hooker James Parsons has rejected the notion that Scott Barrett’s form has dipped and believes he is getting the same treatment as Sam Cane.
Parsons came out to bat for the All Blacks skipper with many pundits and fans of the opinion that the second-rower’s form has dropped since taking on the captaincy.
When Scott Robertson took the reins last year, he named Barrett as his captain, with the Crusaders star taking over from veteran flanker Cane, who led the side to a Rugby World Cup final the year prior.
It was not the first time that Barrett had been handed a leadership role, having captained the Crusaders when Sam Whitelock took the armband for the All Blacks.
Scott Barrett’s form
Parsons was asked about Barrett’s form on the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Podcast and the former hooker said that the stats suggest that he has actually improved since taking on the responsibility.
“Well, I don’t see it personally like obviously we went through the same thing with Sam Cane,” he replied when asked if Barrett’s form had dipped.
“When you’re the All Blacks captain there’s a lot of pressure a lot of eyes a lot of expectations, but I don’t think any result is ever about an individual and there have been things within the Crusaders’ environment that have massively improved but it just shows you’ve got to do it every day, every week to be able to allow the team success to happen.
“I think for Scott when if you look at his stats – and I’m not going to rattle through them all – his numbers are still reflective of what we saw prior to being a captain, in some instances, they’re higher. Leadership sometimes bolts people.
“So I don’t see that, but as fans, when you’re watching it and looking for answers, I’m not aligned with that being the answer, personally.
“I don’t think he has dipped if, anything his discipline has improved as most of his numbers have improved not so much at Super Rugby – they’ve remained the same – but at Test match level, he has definitely improved so it’s it’s a balancing act.
“But it’s the nature of the position, you look at where Sam Cane finished and that same pressure was on him initially but I think it’s just a storm Scott will absorb and he’ll know the only thing he can control is his actual performance.”
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Under the microscope
Former Crusaders scrum-half and an ex-teammate of Barrett, Bryn Hall, agreed with Parsons, suggesting that the criticism is just part in parcel of being the All Blacks captain.
“He’s a rugby nerd, so look he loves the finer details of what rugby is and to be honest, I actually think him not being captain of the Crusaders will take a lot of pressure off him,” Hall said.
“He’ll still be in and around that leadership group, he will have a massive play in terms of how the weeks are and what’s required for the team.
“I think even Sam Whitelock when he was captain, he got taken off because obviously Scott came in and whether you’re captain or not you still have massive involvement in the leadership qualities.
“There’s nothing that I can see, to be honest, and through the stats that he’s doing anything differently, I think it’s just now that he’s All Black captain, he is seen in a different light where everything’s under the microscope.”
Parsons added: “I haven’t gone into too much depth but from a pure numbers perspective, factually, there’s been a slight increase in the positive stats and a decrease, especially at Test rugby, in the discipline stats.”
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