The Red Bulletin November 2019 (UK)

Beauden Barrett
Tackling
the myth
The New Zealand rugby star can fend off
tough challenges on the pitch, but how
about misconceptions about his team?
Words TOM GUISE Photography GRAEME MURRAY
The All Blacks have won more Rugby
World Cups than any other national
team and, as reigning champs, were
favourites again as the competition
kicked off in Japan on September 20.
They are a team with a near mythical
reputation for victory. Which makes
player Beauden Barrett a virtual
unicorn. The 28-year-old fly-half and
fullback was core to the Kiwis’ 2015
victory, was voted World Rugby
Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017,
and is fourth on the All Blacks pointscoring
chart in test matches. Now
he’s here to unravel that legend and
dispel a few of the myths surrounding
his own formidable team.
myth 1: To be in the All Blacks, you
need to be the size of the Hulk.
beauden barrett: I weigh 92kg –
size doesn’t matter. Being big doesn’t
mean you’re the boss. Every position
requires a different physique or skill
set: some guys have to be strong to
push in the scrum; others need to
be explosive and jump high to catch
balls in line-outs, or do a lot of
kicking and running. I have to be fast
and powerful. Everyone knows their
role within the team, but there’s no
hierarchy due to size. You learn to
respect the elders and those more
experienced than yourself.
myth 2: All Blacks can only play
for a local club team and not
overseas rivals.
That’s almost entirely true. You
certainly won’t see players in the
UK or Europe also playing for the
All Blacks. There have been a few
exceptions where it’s like a little
sabbatical, playing in Japan for a
short time. But I can’t recall a New
Zealand rugby player returning
from Europe to be an All Black – it
doesn’t happen. Once you’re gone,
you’re gone for good.
myth 3: The All Blacks are just
about unbeatable.
No team is guaranteed a quarterfinal,
because there are so many
variables. There are a number of
teams who can potentially win [the
World Cup]. This shows the growth
of a lot of countries. It’s interesting
watching the Six Nations and seeing
Wales finish the way they did [they
won]. I know the Japanese are
developing very quickly. They’re very
well coached and will be dark horses.
Our focus is on one game at a time,
and then the pool games.
myth 4: Success has made the
All Blacks arrogant.
You don’t just get selected on pure
form or talent; it’s important to have
good values, too. If you’re a good
person, you’ll be a good All Black,
because when it comes to team
culture there is no place in this team
for dickheads.
time. Every opposition will respond
differently: some will smile, some
look scared. I’ve faced the haka
and it is intimidating – it sends a
shiver down your spine. Because
we understand the meaning of it,
it’s quite emotional.
myth 6: No other nation is allowed
to do the haka.
Oh, look, it’s up to the opposition
what they decide to do. We see it as
a sign that they’re up for a challenge.
But when we see them do it and they
don’t understand the meaning, we
find that it can be disrespectful.
myth 7: You practise the haka
every time you train.
At a low intensity we do it once a
week, the new guys maybe a little bit
more. You can’t lose connection with
it or forget its meaning. It’s important
not to take it for granted, because
we’re in front of millions of people
and we’re going out to win, so we
have to do it well.
myth 8: The All Blacks possess
a powerful secret, one that helps
you be the best.
It’s not one thing, it’s a whole lot of
things: hard work, high expectations
and the discipline to live those every
day and enjoy it. If you’re really
enjoying something, you can
challenge yourself. If you’re not
enjoying it, you’re not going to push
yourself to the limits when you’re
training, when you’re playing. You
don’t want to make it fake.
myth 9: The black jersey has
special powers. You once said that
when you first put it on, you felt
like Superman.
I mean, there’s no time like the first.
That was certainly the most powerful
but, yes, every time I put it on I take
a moment to gather my thoughts,
reflect and realise what I’m about to
do, because it’s a special time.
myth 5: The haka is a technique to
gain a read on the opposition.
It’s about us and what we bring.
It’s about how well connected we are
and how powerful we feel at the
28 THE RED BULLETIN