Jordie Barrett will add power and skill to Leinster backline

THERE’S NOT MANY teams who wouldn’t be interested in securing the services of Jordie Barrett, and even a club with backline options as rich as Leinster’s found the prospect of signing up the New Zealand superstar too good to turn down.

The move appears to have split opinion among rugby fans – with the details and potential knock-on effects explained here – but for Leinster supporters, the thought of adding Barrett’s quality to their already formidable backline will be hugely exciting.

It may only be a short term deal, but Leinster have landed a box-office All Black at the peak of his powers.

The 27-year-old can play across the backline but has played most of his rugby at 15 and 12. He spent the early years of his Test career as a fullback but since 2023 his blend of power and footballing skills has seen him primarily deployed at inside centre for New Zealand – a switch that came as the All Blacks shook up their planning ahead of the 2023 World Cup in France.

When Ireland toured New Zealand in the summer of 2022, Barrett started all three Tests at fullback.

He saw plenty of ball in the first Test, running a nice line to power over and score New Zealand’s first points midway through the first half.

Barrett went on to kick six conversions as New Zealand romped to a 42-19 win.

Ireland levelled the series in the second Test but Barrett had a decent game on a night where many of his teammates struggled – his highlight this late step past Joey Carbery and fired pass which sent Will Jordan over in the corner.

Earlier, Barrett ran another nice line to slice through Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw, a promising linebreak thwarted by a brilliant tap-tackle from Caelan Doris.

He’d been a threat all night – this early step and pass almost sending Quinn Tupaea through, only for Tupaea to spill the ball forward.

Ireland’s Third Test win wrapped up an historic series victory and ramped up expectation ahead of a potential rematch at the following year’s World Cup.

By the end of the 2022 Rugby Championship Barrett had been relocated to inside centre, a position he soon made his own.

His display in New Zealand’s World Cup quarter-final defeat of Ireland last October was viewed as one of his best in the famous black jersey, scoring one conversion and two penalties in the 28-24 win.

With his first kick of the night, Barrett showcased his range by draining this huge effort from halfway.

Advertisement

Yet his most memorable and decisive contribution of the night came late in the game with Ireland chasing down a four-point lead.

At 6’4″ and 95kgs, Barrett is a big, powerful back, and as Ireland look to strike through a driving lineout maul, he uses that big frame to get under Rónan Kelleher and stop the hooker from touching down a try which would have handed Andy Farrell’s men a one-point lead – and a conversion to come – with eight minutes left on the clock.

Barrett does really well to get his legs under Kelleher and use his strength to hold the ball up. It’s a huge moment in the game and New Zealand go on to close it out, booking their place in the semi-finals.

Barrett was a try-scorer and was named player of the match in New Zealand’s 44-6 rout of Argentina in the semi-finals.

His try came in the opening quarter, Barrett drifting out wide and using his strength to finish in the corner as three Argentina defenders fail to stop him.

The final against South Africa didn’t go New Zealand’s way but Barrett again had plenty of nice moments, including this early pass out the back to Richie Mo’unga as the All Blacks went probing for the opening try.

It’s a beautifully disguised pass to Mo’unga, with Rieko Ioane running the decoy line.

Four phases later Barrett has made his way over to the opposite side of the pitch, and playing with penalty advantage, he’s on hand to produce this lovely kick over the top for Ardie Savea to chase. This is another layer to Barrett’s skillset, but unfortunately for Savea, the bounce of the ball doesn’t fall his way and New Zealand have to make do with taking three points from the tee.

Barrett had a busy evening, filling it at flanker and joining the scrum for a period before missing a late penalty from distance with the game in the balance.

And he repeated his try-saving heroics from the quarter-final – this time denying Damian de Allende in the corner shortly after half-time.

Again, it’s all about Barrett’s strength as he gets his arms around the ball to stop his opposite number from grounding it.

Barrett returned to action with the Hurricanes at the end of February and has featured five times so far this season – with the Wellington side currently five points clear of the Blues and the Brumbies at the top of the table after seven games.

A powerful, athletic backline option, it will be fascinating to see how Leinster use his skillset in their attacking system when he arrives for the second half of the 2024/25 season.

While he’s well able to carry hard and link up the play, his size adds another dimension to his attacking threat – as seen in this 2022 try against Wales.

Hugging the touchline again, Barrett finds himself in a mismatch against Wales winger Rio Dyer, the hangtime on Mo’unga’s kick allowing him beat Dyer in the air to score the first of his two tries in a 55-23 win in Cardiff.

Barrett also has good speed for a man of his size, as evidenced in the below defensive plays.

He covers a lot of ground to chop down Pieter-Steph du Toit in an August 2022 meeting with South Africa.

He’s capable of producing the spectacular too, as evidenced by this wonderful behind-the-back pass for the Hurricanes a couple of seasons back.

Or this sensational pass when running at full speed.

Here’s a similar effort from a 2022 game against England, Barrett bouncing England prop Will Stuart before hitting Mark Telea.

It’s clear why Leinster supporters are so excited to see him line out in a blue jersey next year.

Barrett has a big season ahead, with Super Rugby and Rugby Championship campaigns to complete before a November tour that sees New Zealand face England, Ireland, France and Italy, a month before he joins up with his new Leinster teammates.

That might feel like an age away at the moment, but the highly influential New Zealander should prove to be worth the wait.