All Blacks arrive in Australia to empty airports and a somber atmosphere. Video / All Blacks
OPINION
It is all too easy to surprise the New Zealand rugby fraternity these days.
The All Blacks picked Jordie Barrett on the wing for the first two tests of the year and it was a selection met with disbelief bordering on bafflement.
Many seemed to find it a wildlypuzzling and unfathomable decision and the reaction to Barrett's deployment on the wing has been way more intriguing than the decision.
It's surprising that some commentators have been so upset or caught out by Barrett's selection on the wing as it's merely a continuation of a selection policy that began two years ago.
New coach Ian Foster has picked up where his predecessor Steve Hansen left off and yet plenty of people have needed to sit down with a cup of tea as they have tried to make sense of something they say can't be made sense of.
And this is why the reaction is intriguing as it alludes to there being an undercurrent of doubters who are going to manufacture ways to unfairly try to malign Foster's credentials.
Something that wasn't outlandish, ill-conceived or even original was suddenly being portrayed as a naive selection risk being taken by a coach who it is clear, despite the solid start he has made in the role, many don't feel deserves to be there.
But it is those arguing against picking Barrett on the wing who are highlighting themselves as naive and out of touch; ignorant both of what he brings to the test arena and what the position actually demands at that level.
All Blacks winger Jordie Barrett in action against the Wallabies. Photo / Photoport
For the moment, as it has been for two years now, wing is the most natural home for Barrett in the All Blacks. He's featured there seven times and scored eight tries, which kind of ends the discussion dead in its tracks.
But the justification for playing him there goes beyond his try-scoring statistics.
Barrett first played on the wing for the All Blacks against Italy in the last game of 2018.
Okay, it was Italy, but he produced his best performance since playing so well against the British and Irish Lions in what was only his second appearance for the All Blacks.
He scored four tries in Rome, one of which came from rising high above the defence to pluck one of brother Beauden's perfect attacking cross-kicks.
After the game, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said he felt wing was the best place for Barrett short term – that it was a position to which he was ideally suited as he had the pace, the ability under the high ball, was a natural finisher, good kicker and had the desire to roam around the field looking for work.
Hansen's logic was simple enough when it came to wing and fullback – that anyone capable of being picked to start a test in the latter had the requisite skill-set to be picked to start in the former.
Barrett won eight caps under Hansen after that test in Rome – two of which he started on the wing and another three he came off the bench to play on the wing.
So, really, in the All Blacks set-up Barrett had predominantly been viewed as a wing since November 2018 and once Foster decided he was going to persist with the dual-playmaking concept, that view wasn't going to change.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster. Photo / Photosport
Jordie was indeed the form fullback in Super Rugby but the All Blacks have a specific view about what they want from the person tasked with wearing No 15.
The All Blacks decided in October 2018 that they need their fullback to be a decision-maker, an option-taker and strategist. They have to be tactically aware and as capable of playing first receiver as they are at skipping around in the backfield.
Essentially, the All Blacks want a No 10 in their No 10 jersey and a No 10 in their No 15 jersey and that's why Foster wanted Beauden at fullback and not the in-form Jordie.
Foster has explained that he doesn't feel, despite the fact Jordie has played a test at No 10 for the All Blacks, that his decision-making is yet strong enough. He has said that's the area of Jordie's game that needs the most work and that for now, wing is his best home as he's able to bring all of his traditional fullback skills to the role.
There may well come a time when Foster makes a poor selection or devises an ill considered strategic plan and the critics will have their stick with which they can beat him.
But picking Jordie Barrett on the wing isn't a mistake or a bad idea – it's the right place for him in the All Blacks, as has been apparent since November 2018.
