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The Blues are clearly not keen to add to the pile-on around the unflattering Super Rugby Pacific form of star No 10 Beauden Barrett, with fingers pointed elsewhere around the bizarre kicking tactics employed in Saturday’s 15-3 defeat to the Crusaders.
Blues attack coach Daniel Halangahu on Wednesday, just before jumping on the plane to Brisbane for Friday’s round-13 clash against the Queensland Reds at Suncorp, absolved Barrett from direct responsibility for some poor kicking during a rare tryless encounter – prompting coach Leon MacDonald to fire some shots about his team’s decision to go to the boot so much.
““We’ll rue a few decisions to kick when we might have been better to keep the ball in hand,” said the Blues coach of his team’s fourth defeat of the season. “That really fed into what they wanted to do, which was hold the ball. We were a bit frustrated with some of our execution, particularly on attack. We were kicking a little early and not on the terms we wanted to.”
Barrett had another sub-par match overall against the Crusaders, kicking a lot of ball away and appearing reluctant to engage the line, and has clearly been well short of his A game all season. He has been shaded by both Damian McKenzie and Richie Mo’unga in terms of quality of work in Super Rugby Pacific this year.
But Halangahu offered some welcome respite for the classy No 10 on Wednesday, spelling out where the Blues’ correction had to come from.
”We have to be better,” said the Blues assistant. “The defensive team did a really good job of turning over ball when we were on our line. We looked at most of those kicks, and they were what we wanted. But there just a couple where there was space for us to attack.
SKY SPORT
The defending champion Crusaders showed their class in keeping the Blues try-less in Christchurch.
“In the moment on Saturday night we were finding it difficult to find space, but when we had a close look there was quite a bit of space for us to take. Perhaps the defensive effort took out our legs, or we have to get better at calling that space.”
But it was here where Barrett got his pass on a key shortcoming.
“We put very little of it on Beauden,” added Halangahu. “He’s focused with the 9, and the 9 is focused at the ruck. The 15s, the wings, they’ve got so much more time than our game-drivers to see that space, and they need to communicate it. That’s part of the reason the All Blacks use Beauden at fullback, because of how good his communication is and how he sees that space.
“We never put it on our 10s. It’s the other guys being able to communicate space and options, and then being decisive and executing it. That’s part of what we’re working with Roger [Tuivasa-Sheck] on – getting eyes up and out, see that space and get an effective call in.”
Barrett’s name was prominent in Wednesday’s team-naming media opportunity, with the test star retained for starting duty despite four All Blacks (Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane, Fin Christie and Ofa Tuungafasi) sitting out their designated rest against the Reds.
Halangahu confirmed Barrett still had one more week off to slot in over the closing rounds of the regular season, though said it did not have to be this week because of the game he missed against Moana Pasifika with an Achilles flare-up.
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The Blues say Beauden Barrett’s performance bar is a high one, and he shouldn’t be knocked for not reaching it.
Given that’s set to be in one of the Blues’ remaining two games (at home against the Hurricanes and Highlanders), Halangahu was asked if that would be disappointing for his team’s fans expecting to see their marquee player.
“Our fans don’t often turn up to Eden Park and not see Beauden. I don’t think we’ve done that yet. Against Moana he was down to play but had an Achilles injury. They love him, and we love him too. People want to see him, but I think everyone wants the World Cup trophy in the cabinet a little more.”
In terms of the Blues needing to see their most credentialed player back to his best, Halangahu backed his man sort of without backing him.
“What is Beauden’s best? It’s world player of the year twice. He and Dan Carter are the only guys with that (Carter has actually won it three times, and Richie McCaw also twice). When we say he’s not playing his best, he’s not the greatest of all time. It’s a very high bar Beauden has set for himself.
“I think Beauden, when he’s confident and doing things, we’re all in awe of that. We haven’t reflected too much on Beauden. The key for him and Fin is just relaxing back into their natural instincts which we know are very good, and they can do that through the communication of the guys around them.”
In short, it’s not just Barrett who has to be better for the Blues to turn this faltering season around. He needs some help from his mates.
Blues: Zarn Sullivan, Mark Telea, Bryce Heem, Harry Plummer, AJ Lam, Beauden Barrett, Sam Nock; Hoskins Sotutu, Adrian Choat, Akira Ioane, Cameron Suafoa, Patrick Tuipulotu (capt), Marcel Renata, Ricky Riccitelli, Jordan Lay. Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu’a, Nepo Laulala/James Lay, James Tucker, Anton Segner, Taufa Funaki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
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