In 2005 I was in and around the New Zealand squad and I was on the bench for the third Lions Test – they decided to give Dan Carter the night off. He probably deserved it after blowing away everyone in Wellington with a performance that left me thinking: “Bloody hell, how am I going to get past him and into the team?”
But in all seriousness, you just stood and applauded the type of rugby that you were seeing. He was a once-in-a-generation player, playing rugby the way it should be played. We all strive to do it, some are just better than others and Carter was ridiculously sublime in the second Test. All Kiwi fans are hoping Beauden Barrett can do the same in the first Test on Saturday.
Barrett has surprised me. A couple of years ago he looked a bit of a jack of all trades – a utility back who can fill in at 10, or full-back and a bit on the wing – but every time he came on from the bench he just lit up the place. He is so explosive, so pacy and he had a fantastic season last year with the Hurricanes. He showed the selectors he can manage a game, improved his kicking a bit and then he started growing his leadership skills.
What set Carter apart was the All Blacks back then weren’t as explosive as they are now all over the field – they didn’t have the arsenal they do now. Carter really stood above the parapet in that series but Barrett has got all these weapons around him that are creating space. He has the ability and the gas to take opportunities where he just shouldn’t be able to do it. Carter’s goalkicking was spot on though – he was the whole package and that’s one thing Barrett needs to work on. Time will tell if he turns out to be as great as Carter.
We’ve seen a lot of his cross-kicking in Super Rugby this season and it’s definitely a tool at his disposal. I’m sure the Lions will be wary of it but it comes down to how they shape their defence. If the All Blacks make line-breaks the Lions are in trouble because that’s where it comes from, the momentum quickly changes, the defence get out of position, the full-back has to make a tackle, the winger is left in too much space and then Barrett pounces.
Opposite Barrett, Owen Farrell is a very different fly-half but I’ve got a huge amount of time for him. He has really developed his attacking game and his tactical kicking has always been world class. He’s physical too and now he has the ability to bring players into the game and to attack the line. He doesn’t have the pace of Barrett or that x-factor buzz but Farrell does the simple things really well. He doesn’t make many mistakes and puts the ball on the money when he needs to, that’s what I love about the guy.
There’s a bit of pressure on him now. Without Leigh Halfpenny there, Farrell is doing the goalkicking and he hasn’t kicked as well as he would have liked but if there’s one person who can handle the pressure it’s him. It’s going to be a great battle with a conflict of styles at 10. Most of New Zealand is crossing their fingers for a nice clear night – the Lions are hoping for rain.
I’ve said all along I think New Zealand will win the first Test and I still do. What I love about the All Blacks is that if you’re good enough, you’re put in there. And what a month this 20-year-old kid Rieko Ioane has had. He’s beaten the Lions with the Blues, he’s turned out for the Maori All Blacks and now he’s keeping out Julian Savea, a 50-Test wing, for his first start. He’s just been playing better than Savea, and in a Blues side not going all that well, so he fully deserves it.
As dangerous as Barrett and the All Blacks backs can be, it all starts up front. As long as the All Black pack gives Barrett go-forward ball then the Lions’ line speed is no issue because they will be forever going backwards. As soon as the Lions defence get on top of the New Zealand tight five, that’s when you’ll see Barrett under pressure. We saw the Crusaders do it to the Hurricanes last month – Barrett was put under pressure and made to look pretty average. The Lions have already done it to Richie Mo’unga versus the Crusaders and against the Maori with Damian McKenzie.
There were some interesting calls by Warren Gatland and the biggest was not starting Maro Itoje. But I can understand it – Itoje is going to make a difference when he comes on. Even with the back three the Lions have picked though, I can’t see the gameplan changing much and they will look to strangle New Zealand. The be-all and end-all of this Test will be how can the Lions stop the New Zealand front five and can they do it for 80 minutes? Can they keep that intensity, keep slowing the ball down, even just for that extra second? It only takes one or two Lions to switch off or lose concentration because the best in the world at exploiting those opportunities are the men in black.
