Why it’s time for All Blacks to move on from stale Beauden Barrett - Chris Rattue’s winners and losers

Beauden Barrett during the Blues' loss to the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Pacific semifinal. Photo / Getty

OPINION:

LOSER: My fandom ... Beauden Barrett’s All Black worth

Beauden Barrett’s uninspiring performance for the Blues in Christchurch made a startling contrast to what was going on with the other team.

The half-hearted Blues semifinal “effort” was summed up by Barrett’s early kickoffs that kept zooming straight to his brother Scott, who was in magnificent form (again) and clutched these tricky gifts with aplomb.

Scott Barrett’s perfect early kickoff receptions provided the launching pad for an 80-minute Crusaders assault of rare quality. It was breathtaking.

But why the heck keep kicking it to him?

The Crusaders, full of men on the rise, were so unified and energetic. This was one of their finest hours, and they’ve had plenty of those.

I’ve been among Beauden Barrett’s biggest fans over the years – at his best he was virtually beyond compare.

But it’s getting harder to sustain the fandom even though Barrett Lite can still scuttle through a half gap.

This is never going to happen but in all seriousness, I’d like to find a way of leaving Barrett out of the World Cup squad on the basis that his playmaking axis with Richie Mo’unga has struggled to find a truly happy place.

It’s not a disaster, but it doesn’t have the feel of being a history-making winner either at a time when the All Blacks have melted back into the international pack. And it may be blocking a glorious way forward.

There’s a lot of focus on a squad bolter of course, and some newcomers, but the big call for Ian Foster to make in terms of having faith in the future was moving on from the Beauden Barrett era.

It’s hard to criticise him for not doing it, yet there’s staleness to Barrett’s game that has become very frustrating.

Give Mo’unga the No 10 mantle without any confusion, and stick Will Jordan in his best place – fullback. Then let this little Crusaders combo loose on the world unencumbered ... that’s my theory for the day.

As for Scott Barrett, what a fantastic footballer he has been for a number of seasons, and is now proving to be a great Crusaders captain.

And if his brother should prove me very wrong, well, I’d be happy about that.

WINNER/LOSER: The Super Rugby final/music

Damian McKenzie of the Chiefs in action against the Brumbies. Photo / Photosport

An all New Zealand battle, full of All Blacks, with the champs having to travel to Hamilton. Super Rugby has reached a terrific conclusion.

The Brumbies were very credible in the playoffs, but from a New Zealand perspective their presence would have dumbed down the final so it was a relief to see the Chiefs hold them off.

The Chiefs aren’t firing on all cylinders though, and the Crusaders are. My money is firmly on the red and black machine.

A final (forlorn) plea: please turn off that annoying music – at least for the big matches – at Waikato Stadium.

LOSERS: The Blues and Leon MacDonald’s status

Fair play to the mighty Crusaders. I never doubted they would win the Super Rugby semifinal in Christchurch.

But even after decades of watching the Blues splutter along, it was still a shock to seem them play that badly.

The Crusaders were missing half a team of All Blacks and won by zillion. HALF A TEAM OF ALL BLACKS. A ZILLION.

Ultimately, the five-year Leon MacDonald/Tom Coventry coaching era at the Blues has gone almost nowhere.

This semifinal performance was downright embarrassing, among the worst in the franchise’s often horrible history.

If MacDonald wasn’t joining the All Blacks set-up, a new coach was probably needed anyway after watching that dross.

Yet MacDonald claimed: “There’s been a lot of progress.”

No, there hasn’t, not after watching that semifinal debacle.

WINNER: Toutai Kefu’s attitude

Love the World Cup confidence, after the Tonga rugby coach declared “we have the cattle now”. Under rugby’s much-needed regulation change, the longtime Australian No 8′s squad includes former Wallabies Israel Folau and Adam Coleman, plus five former All Blacks.

LOSER: England’s declaration

England coach Brendon McCullum. Photo / Photosport

Yes, we get it. Everyone is in love with Bazball. Coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes can do no wrong even when the mistake is obvious.

England’s first innings declaration in the opening Ashes cricket test, with ace batsman Joe Root still at the crease, was bizarre.

They had a foot on Australia’s throat, then wandered off.

But wait, there’s more.

Legendary Kiwi captain McCullum was once lauded for promoting civilised cricket in a sea of sledging, but his England fast bowler Ollie Robinson must have missed the memo.

Robinson farewelled century maker Usman Khawaja with a pathetic foul-mouthed rant (according to ‘social media lip readers’) at Edgbaston.

The worst thing about modern sledging is it lacks the wit of old – it’s just silly when delivered by a boofhead like Robinson.

To be fair to McCullum, his ‘spirit of cricket’ stance always appeared to be about the best way New Zealand could succeed and he was probably right.

But the accolades for his attitude kept coming, and he didn’t exactly whack them to the boundary.

Moving on ... McCullum’s recalled England spinner Moeen Ali was fined for illegal application of spray to his hand during the Edgbaston battle.

It’s not been a great match for the spirit of cricket.

WINNER: Steve Hansen

Surely rugby bosses will listen to this guy.

The former All Blacks coach said the NRL had a superior product largely because league bosses listened to what fans want.

“[League] is a better game to watch on TV than rugby is, because it’s not stop-start. They apply a lot of common sense to how they adjudicate things and make sure the game keeps some form of flow to it,” he said.

“Our game over the last five years has got slower and slower and slower.”

WINNER: Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior (right). Photo / AP

Crowd abuse victim Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid has been given a top role on a Fifa anti-racism committee, while Brazil and Spain have organised a friendly match for the same cause. At least football has acted quickly this time after the Brazilian was abused by Valencia fans.

The appalling racism problem runs so deep in football though that it’s difficult to see how it can be fully excised.

But Vinicius is emerging as a leader in trying to force football to go the extra mile in combating this horror.

LOSER: Jay Monahan

The suddenly unpopular PGA commissioner went on medical leave after his major U-turn enabled a truce with the Saudi-backed LIV tour. It’s hard to see him coming back.

WINNER: India’s Olympic wrestlers

Brave and lengthy protest has led to the arrest of their federation’s boss on charges of sexual harassment and stalking.

WINNERS: Warriors ...

... without even playing in the latest round.

The already-battling Dragons – their opponents on Friday – are neck deep in a major drama with State of Origin playmaker Ben Hunt demanding a release from the Sydney league club, who are standing firm.

And the two teams leading the chase for a top eight spot – the Roosters and Sea Eagles – continued to struggle with form and/or major injuries in the latest round of games.