Barrett's URC stint to benefit All Blacks

SPOTLIGHT: While most All Blacks are hitting the beaches, on the boat fishing, and enjoying some quiet time before the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season kicks off, Jordie Barrett is in the midst of a United Rugby Championship season for Irish heavyweights Leinster.

The 27-year-old has enjoyed some early success in his first few appearances for the side, scoring on his debut off the bench against Bristol.

Barrett, who will miss the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season with the Hurricanes, will be available for Scott Robertson in July when France comes to New Zealand.

Former All Black scrumhalf Justin Marshall believes Barrett will gain valuable playing time and experience in Ireland.

“It’ll be hugely revitalizing for him.

“He’ll be learning new skills, no doubt about it, defensively, he’ll be defending in a different way,” Marshall said on the DSPN Sports Podcast with Martin Devlin.

“He will be experiencing something he’s never had in his rugby career.

“He’ll be really refreshed by it.”

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Barrett has lots of international talent and quality around him in Leinster.

Tadhg Furlong, Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, RG Snyman, and Josh van der Flier are all Leinster players for the 2024-25 United Rugby Championship season.

Marshall is confident Barrett will return a better player than he was in the 2024 All Blacks season.

“I think we will get a much better Jordie Barrett for it I’m sure of it and that All Blacks shirt next year.”

“The fact that he’s putting a different jersey on in a different environment, in a different country, with a different crowd and teammates that he’s never played with before.”

“There’ll be a different mindset in how they use their inside centres over there.

“So he will get a massive opportunity to look at the game from a different perspective. I think that’s healthy”, said Marshall.

When players move overseas to pursue other opportunities, there’s often a question mark regarding how they are going to fit back into the All Blacks system.

For Barrett, he’s available for most of the All Blacks campaign in 2025, but having played a lot of rugby in 2024 and early in 2025, Marshall hopes Barrett’s body will be looked after heading into another big international campaign.

“And then hopefully he gets to slide back into the New Zealand system, not feeling tired, but feeling really enthusiastic about what he can bring in terms of the development of this game like he could become a much better player for what he’s experiencing, and as long as he’s looked after, which I’m sure he will be.”

By Henry Lee @rugbypass