VIDEO: All Black star's monster hit was no fluke
SPOTLIGHT: All Black lock Scott Barrett has been described as a player who “doesn’t rest” after he received plaudits for his monster hit on Tate McDermot in Saturday’s Rugby Championship win over Australia.
According to Barrett’s teammate, Codie Taylor, the big lock must have been doing his homework on Australia’s set plays and it came to fruition with Shannon Frizell scoring an easy try after the ball was dislodged from McDermott’s hand after a line-out deep inside Australia’s 22-metre area.
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Scott Barrett is that guy 😤🤯
Hit if the year.#BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/PuoDh5LRbr
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 29, 2023
“Scooter [Barrett], he probably came up with that plan himself,” Taylor told NZ media on Tuesday.
“He is just one of those men that just doesn’t rest. He is always looking for opportunities.
“He saw one there and then took it. I think the world knows not to throw it off the top [of the line-out] when they are five metres out, now.”
Taylor added: “Scooter probably couldn’t believe it was happening at the time. And then it did.
“Again, it just goes to show the nature of Scooter and the way he is playing at the moment.”
All Black forwards coach Jason Ryan admitted that plans were put in place if an opportunity like that presents itself during a game.
“I just knew he would,” Ryan said on the Barrett tackle. “I trust his instincts. He is pretty special in that regard.”
Ryan added: “You are always looking for little opportunities and those are the sort of things that can shift pressure quite quickly.”
Source: stuff.co.nz
