There was something about Beauden Barrett's body language that told a bigger story when he played against the Chiefs at Eden Park in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
He was moving that little bit quicker than he had been in previous weeks. He was almost skipping as the ball came his way, his hands were out, his brain flicking through the options as he assessed the shape of the rushing defence.
There was an energy about him, a boldness in his decision-making that hadn't been apparent, or actually had been missing in his previous five games for the Blues.
Perhaps it was a sign that having not played rugby between November and June, he was finally feeling more like himself halfway through Super Rugby Aotearoa. Maybe.
But really what had sparked him into better form and giving a more convincing impression of his former self, was a positional change.
Against the Chiefs, he was wearing No 10. He hadn't played a game there since the warm-up test against Tonga in early September 2019 and having that responsibility of driving the team around the park, brought the best out of him.
Barrett is an exceptional footballer, probably the most talented the world has seen and can slip on the No 15 jersey and deliver extraordinary performances in that role.
By the end of the World Cup, he had proven himself the best fullback in the world and while he has the team-first attitude to willingly play there, it's not his happy place.
Whatever anyone else thinks doesn't matter as in Barrett's head, he's a No 10. He said as much after the Blues had lost to the Hurricanes in Wellington: a night which saw him endure being booed by his old fan-club, and then being bumped around by the rampant Ngani Laumape.
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 207, October - November 2020 de NZ Rugby World.
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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 207, October - November 2020 de NZ Rugby World.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
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RUGBY ROYALTY
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WINGING IT FOR LONGER
TYPICALLY POWER WINGS DON'T LAST LONG IN THE ALL BLACKS. BUT CALEB CLARKE AND RIEKO IOANE ARE HOPING TO BUCK THE TREND.
TOUGHEST JOB IN THE WORLD
NZ RUGBY WORLD EDITOR GREGOR PAUL HAS A NEW BOOK OUT CALLED THE CAPTAIN'S RUN. IN IT HE EXPLORES WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD THE WORLD'S BEST RUGBY TEAM, HOW THE JOB HAS CHANGED AND HOW THE VARIOUS LEADERS HAVE DEALT WITH PRESSURE, FAILURE AND SUCCESS.
WOW FACTOR
SCOTT ROBERTSON IS UNORTHODOX BUT HE'S ALSO BRILLIANT AND WANTS A JOB WITH THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS.
RUGBY REBORN
COVID BROUGHT ECONOMIC CARNAGE IN 2020 BUT RATHER THAN BEING SEEN AS A WRECKER OF FORTUNES, THE PANDEMIC WAS ACTUALLY A GIANT BLESSING.
BATTLE FOR THE BLEDISLOE
THE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS OF 2020 SAW THE INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR HASTILY REDRAWN AND IN A UNIQUE TWIST FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AGE, THE ALL BLACKS PLAYED FOUR CONSECUTIVE TESTS AGAINST AUSTRALIA.
PACIFIC POWER HOUSE
FIJI HAVE NEVER QUITE BEEN ABLE TO FULFIL THEIR ENORMOUS POTENTIAL. BUT THEY MIGHT NOW FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF VERN COTTER AS HEAD COACH.
THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION
ON AND OFF THE FIELD, SPRINGBOKS WING CHESLIN KOLBE CONTINUES TO MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL IMPACT.
DEFENCE FORCE ONE
THE BLUES WERE A RADICALLY DIFFERENT TEAM IN 2020 AND MUCH OF THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR VASTLY IMPROVED WORK ON DEFENCE.
