Gerry Thornley: All Blacks starting Beauden Barrett at outhalf brings intrigue

All eyes on the All Blacks then, as they kick-start the end-of-year internationals when playing England this Saturday and the dust will barely have settled at Twickenham before an All Blacks XV takes on Munster in Thomond Park. So good they can be in two different places virtually at once.
What’s more, of course, they only have a six-day turnaround before playing Ireland in what should be a feverish Aviva next Friday night given the fallout of the All Blacks’ World Cup quarter-final win barely a year ago. So Irish eyes, not least those of Andy Farrell and the Irish squad, will be trailed firmly on the events at Twickenham.
The All Blacks are much changed under Scott “Razor” Robertson as he seeks to recreate the winning formula he had with the Crusaders with the amalgam of five Super Rugby franchise in the Test arena. Thus far, it appears to have been a journey of discovery for Robertson and his staff, and the squad and supporters alike.
Something of a signature selection was that of Damian McKenzie at outhalf, as well as a statement of faith in the player. The gifted, quick-footed McKenzie started both of Robertson’s first two games in charge, the narrow home wins over England, as well as the ensuing victory over Fiji and then the first five rounds of the Rugby Championship.
This is part of a growing trend in the game, to give the keys to the playmaking role to quick, game-breaking, running players like Finn Russell and Marcus Smith, but the lack of control evident in McKenzie’s game in both Tests against England remained for much of the All Blacks’ undistinguished Rugby Championship campaign.
Granted, the luck of the draw meant both meetings with the Springboks were away and there was no shame in those two one-score losses. But the All Blacks had begun their campaign with a historic first home loss to Argentina and they nearly blew a commanding lead against Australia in Brisbane in round five.
After that, Robertson reverted to Beauden Barrett and even rolled back the years by recalling TJ Perenara alongside him. Barrett had been playing as an auxiliary playmaker from fullback save for some end-of-game cameos. But as with them Barrett immediately brought a sense of calmness and authority to the role in the All Blacks’ 33-13 win over the Wallabies in Wellington.
He may be 33 now, and he may not have the lightning acceleration of his pomp when being crowned World Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018, but these things are relative. Barrett was like a winger playing at 10 then, and he is not exactly a slouch.
A player of McKenzie’s sidestepping, offloading, pace, vision and kicking game still has plenty to offer. But, having been recalled as one of a dozen changes for the All Blacks’ 64-19 win over Japan last weekend, McKenzie is back on the bench against England as Barrett reverts from 15 in Yokohama to 10 again. So perhaps McKenzie’s role will be as an impact replacement, at either 10 or 15, or even 12.
For the time being, it would appear that Robertson has had a road to Damascus-like conversion, in realising that the All Blacks are just a better-rounded team with Barrett at outhalf.
His performance and his brother Jordie’s will be most keenly watched by Irish eyes, but there’ll be plenty else to look out for, not least the Brian O’Driscoll-like footwork of the freakishly gifted backrower Wallace Sititi and Cam Roigard.
The razor-sharp 23-year-old Hurricanes scrumhalf missed all of Robertson’s first nine games in charge due to a bad knee injury sustained in Super Rugby but, at the other end of the scale from Barrett, Roigard looks the heir apparent to Aaron Smith’s long reign.