Jordie Barrett says demotion for huge Leinster game was ‘always part of the conversation’

Saturday, 28 June 2025

Jordie Barrett says finding himself on the bench was “always part of the conversation” after great uproar over his demotion for one of the biggest games of Leinster’s season.

The All Blacks midfielder confirmed he is “fit and healthy” after his Irish sabbatical and endured the rigours of an extended club season in Europe.

The 28-year-old of 68 tests is an assumed starter for the upcoming test series against France, beginning in Dunedin next Saturday night.

While Barrett was primarily starting at second five-eighth, he was on the bench for a European Champions Cup semifinal they lost 37-34 to English club Northampton in May.

Given the magnitude of that match, eyebrows were raised in Ireland and New Zealand because Barrett had impressed for the Dublin side as their marquee player since his debut last December.

Leinster coach Jacques Nienaber was prompted to defend the call to leave out the All Black, something that baffled fans and was called “arrogant” on a podcast by former England halfback Ben Youngs.

As Neinaber pointed out, Leinster also had two experienced Irish test midfielders, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, to choose from. Essentially, Barrett was rotated.

“That was always part of the conversation,” Barrett said.

“Leinster had a strong squad and a lot of Irish influence.

“Believe it or not, in today's game, you can get just as much out of being on the bench, or even outside of the 23.

“It's a long season, we had to get the balance right, and we sort of did in the end.”

In fact, Barrett, who was speaking at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday as the All Blacks trained in Auckland, was only benched three times in his 15 appearances for Leinster.

They recovered from their European setback to win the United Rugby Championship final in Dublin two weeks ago, beating the Bulls from South Africa 32-7.

Barrett started the remaining five matches of Leinster’s campaign after losing to Northampton and finished with a trophy that was the club’s fifth domestic title in eight years.

“It was a great experience for me,” Barrett said.

“And just learning through the experiences of playing in a different hemisphere, for a club, and in South Africa as well. A bit of French and English influence too, playing against those sides in European Cup games.”

Of course, the northern hemisphere’s season is held through a more biting winter and playing styles are often less expansive, driven by forwards and founded on set pieces.

Barrett’s debut came at the start of the northern winter in December.

“You play over Christmas time, it’s almost snowing,” Barrett said.

Barrett was guarded on what he learned from Nienaber, the former Springboks coach, but it was time spent absorbing the rugby IQ of a South African who knows how the world champion Springboks tick.

“He was great, very different, a good man, a different style and approach and way of thinking,” Barrett said.

The Irish club will also have another All Black heading their way in their next season, too, with midfielder Rieko Ioane heading north in Barrett’s place.

Barrett’s advice?

“Be an open book, you don’t know what you don’t know, and I learned so much that I’ll carry forward for the rest of my career.”

As for the All Blacks, Scott Robertson’s selection of six midfielders seemed excessive, although a theme of the coach’s squad unveiling was “versatility”.

While Ioane and the uncapped Timoci Tavatavanawai can play wing, Barrett can also shift to fullback after playing there earlier in his test career.

“There's great competition. We're going to push each other, and it's great for the team,” Barrett said.

“Whoever's picked on that first game will do what they can for the black jersey. It's a long season. We're going to need everyone.

“The great thing is we've got a lot of players who have a lot of strings to their bow. There's some great specialists here as well, so we're all vying for those positions.”

Ioane and Barrett seem poised to reignite their midfield partnership against the French.

Also in the mix are Billy Proctor, the returning Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lienert-Brown, although he is easing his way back from a collarbone injury.