Stuart Barnes: Marcus Smith a ‘better fly-half’ than ‘sticking plaster’ Beauden Barrett in withering assessment of All Blacks legend
England and All Blacks fly-halves, Marcus Smith and Beauden Barrett, alongside ex-playmaker Stuart Barnes.
Former England fly-half and outspoken pundit Stuart Barnes insists that he would comfortably take Marcus Smith over Beauden Barrett at this point in time.
The 33-year-old has earned over a century of New Zealand caps and is regarded as one of the great modern day players but the ex-Red Rose playmaker believes that he has been usurped by Smith.
Barnes also claims that Barrett would not be picked by Scott Robertson if the head coach had a viable alternative at fly-half.
“I would pick Marcus Smith over Beauden Barrett ten times out of ten. The Harlequin is simply the better fly-half at this juncture in rugby history,” he wrote in his Times column.
Past his best
While Barnes heaped praise on Barrett’s overall career, the 61-year-old believes that the All Blacks great is well past his best.
“Listing them in an all-time pantheon, Barrett would hold a lofty position. Smith wouldn’t figure. Not yet. The Kiwi has been one of the most dazzling rugby players to lace a pair of boots this century,” he added.
“Yet Smith is — if you think he has the rugby brain and trained instincts to add the extra dimension to England’s game — the future.
“Barrett is not so much the past, but rather the sticking plaster that is expected to hold the current team together.”
Robertson has been searching for his next fly-half after Richie Mo’unga signed a long-term contract in Japan.
Damian McKenzie was initially backed but he struggled to make the role his own, despite having eight matches in a row in the key decision-making position.
McKenzie was then replaced by Barrett for the final match of the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies and the elder statesman appears set to reprise that role at Twickenham.
“There is no question that Mo’unga would be the starter had he not turned his back on New Zealand by signing a three-year deal with Toshiba Brave Lupus,” Barnes wrote.
“If, as expected, Barrett is selected at fly-half, it is not because Robertson has real faith in the legend. McKenzie’s failings and Mo’unga’s decision to put the yen before the black jersey have left New Zealand struggling in the pivotal position.”
Robertson and his bosses at New Zealand Rugby have openly stated that they would like to bring Mo’unga back early from his stint in Japan, but so far those talks have not yet come to fruition.
It has left Barrett and McKenzie battling for the shirt, but Barnes is not convinced by the former and claims that some of the things that made him so unique have deserted him.
‘Pace isn’t there’
“The extraordinary pace isn’t there as it was when he scored the sealing try at Twickenham in the 2015 World Cup final,” he added.
“The little flips and chips that made him twice World Player of the Year and a shortlisted candidate for three straight years are no more.”
Smith started both games against the All Blacks in July and has once again been named in the XV for the encounter at Twickenham, despite the return to fitness of George Ford.
The experienced England playmaker is therefore available as cover should the 25-year-old struggle, but Barnes predicts that Smith will “come out on top” in his expected duel with Barrett.
“When you see Barrett you see a glorious past, a great rugby player. Yet never a fly-half that New Zealand could trust come a World Cup,” he wrote.
“The English future has the form and confidence to come out on top against a glorious past.”
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