Steve Hansen names a new look All Blacks side for the last test of the year
COMMENT
By Gregor Paul in Rome
A year that has wobbled a bit for Jordie Barrett and gone plain wrong at times could finish on a more optimistic note of him being not so far away from the All Blacks' preferred World Cup starting XV.
There is a way to go for that to play out but picking him on the right wing against Italy is a first, albeit tentative step in the direction of Barrett becoming an increasingly important player for the All Blacks.
A star that was shining brightly after the Lions series where he was so composed and accomplished in the third test has faded dramatically in the last 18 months due to injury and a couple of costly, poor decisions.
They have been on project rebuild with Barrett these last few months – trying to fast-track his decision-making and understanding of the game in training.
They have hardly reveled in his errors, but accept that at just 21 and in only his second full year of professional rugby, Barrett is going to make them.
The hard part is making sure he's not defined or broken by his mistakes to the point where he stops playing his natural game, but also to make sure he doesn't brush over them and repeat them.
Jordie Barrett. Photo / Getty
The All Blacks coaches have obviously reached the point where they feel comfortable re-introducing Barrett to the test arena and their reason for putting him on the wing and not fullback is intriguing.
"We think he's a real quality player," said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. "If he could play on the wing that gives us greater selection opportunities for him and for the team.
"He's 21 and he's got a tremendous amount of ability but he just hasn't put it all together yet but he's going to and when he does he's going to be a great player.
"If he's on the park and you get a penalty on the 60m mark you give him the ball he'll kick it over. That's another dimension to your bow that we currently don't have – not that you would pick him just for that – but if he's playing well that's an added bonus.
"While he's not the finished product nowhere near it but when he does become polished he's going to be something special."
The selection options to which Hansen alludes are to potentially play Barrett on the right wing with Ben Smith at fullback.
Less than a year out from the tournament and the All Blacks are still working their options in regard to their best backline set-up.
The only certainties, non-negotiables even, are that there has to be another key decision-maker and kicker somewhere in the backline to support Beauden Barrett.
The All Blacks have fixed on that as an imperative part of their attack game as they have that they want Richie Mo'unga at No 10 in the last quarter, partly because of his control and vision, partly because Barrett is such a devastating open field runner when there is space and tired legs in the defence to exploit.
Jordie Barrett of the All Blacks makes a break during the test match against Japan. Photo /Getty
And they have probably made their minds up that they need two aerially adept players in their back three given the likely amount of kicking at the World Cup.
Given those three demands, they have the option of using Damian McKenzie as their second play-maker from fullback.
The jury is out, though, as to whether McKenzie can fulfil all the requirements of fullback at this level.
Some bits he's world class at – his ability to find space in the middle of the field - but he's been vulnerable under the high ball, guilty of some poor kicking and erratic execution.
If Barrett can come good on the wing, it opens the possibility of reverting Ben Smith to fullback.
Smith is a decision-maker and game influencer and he can fulfil the role of play-maker as well as McKenzie.
And Barrett is an aerial player – good under the high ball and not likely to be exposed at a World Cup.
He also comes with a thunderous right boot and in many ways he's a similar sort of player to Israel Dagg who established himself on the All Blacks right wing in 2016 and possibly would still be there but for injury.
A back three which has Rieko Ioane and Barrett on the wings and Smith at fullback has the balance of skills the All Blacks need at the World Cup. And that's why a big performance from the youngest Barrett sibling could send his career back on the same trajectory it was 18 months ago.
