How do Wallabies stop Barrett?
RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Beauden Barrett’s speed on attack is something that the Wallabies will have to deal with if they are to pull off an upset and beat the All Blacks in their opening Rugby Championship game.
Barrett has played an integral part in New Zealand’s success in recent years and although the playmaker was slightly below his best during the 2018 Super Rugby campaign for the Hurricanes, he is by far still the best flyhalf in the World.
Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley, who came up against Barrett on many occasions in Super Rugby and at Test level, is well aware of his opponent’s strengths.
“He is a great option taker, but his speed is an extra dimension that probably allows him to get out of trouble or chance his hand a bit,” Foley told reporters ahead of Saturday’s match in Sydney.
“He knows he can rely on his pace and I think he’s got a lot of assuredness around him.
“Ryan Crotty is such a stalwart and he is probably a calming effect on that backline as well as Aaron Smith who shoulders a lot of the direction and the communicating in that side.”
Foley added: “You don’t want to give him [Barrett] time and space. He is an attacking player, he always has that attacking mindset.
“I don’t think you can say he is a conservative No.10. He is one that will chance his hand and he is someone that you have to try and shut down early because you are probably going to struggle later.”
There has been a lot of debate in New Zealand about whether Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo’unga should start ahead of Barrett. However, Foley wasn’t paying too much attention to it.
“I think it is more internal mind games.
“I think we saw it a couple of years ago in 2015 when they had the same discussion about Dan carter and Beauden Barrett and I think Carter won World Player of the Year that year, so it is probably all internal mind games,” said Foley.
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