WHAT JORDIE BARRETT has been doing over the past year with New Zealand is not easy. Sure, he’s always been versatile and he played at inside centre as an U20 player, as well as at the start of his pro career, but he has been a fullback for the past six seasons.

There was always a nagging suspicion that he would end up back in the number 12 shirt but the longer it dragged on, the less likely it seemed.

The issue for the All Blacks was that no one else could nail down the jersey. So when All Blacks boss Ian Foster finally bit the bullet and shifted Barrett to inside centre for his first Test start there last year against the Wallabies, those who had been calling for the switch felt vindication. 

The initial signs were promising and last weekend, Barrett made his fourth Test start at number 12, delivering a player-of-the-match performance in the Kiwis’ hammering of a desperately poor Argentina side.

The reality is that 26-year-old Barrett was playing against opposition who were badly off the pace, but it was his most complete Test yet in midfield. It surely helped hugely to have a full season of Super Rugby at 12 for the Hurricanes behind him. Time in the saddle is key.

Barrett has arguably been underrated as a fullback in recent years but his move to midfield has also meant the 15 shirt being freed up, with his older brother Beauden lining up there last weekend as Damian McKenzie slotted in at out-half.

Suddenly, the All Blacks have some nice options in their backline but it looks like inside centre Jordie will be at the heart of whatever combination they land on for the opening game of the World Cup against hosts France on 8 September. Of course, the Kiwis could also meet Andy Farrell’s Ireland if they both reach the quarter-finals.

Barrett faces his toughest test yet in midfield this weekend against the Springboks duo of Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am, with the South Africans sure to throw an altogether different challenge at the Kiwi midfield combination of Barrett and Rieko Ioane. It’s just one exciting aspect of what promises to be a spicy Rugby Championship encounter in Auckland.

Barrett will take belief from his performance against los Pumas in Mendoza last time out.

At 6ft 5ins and over 100kg, Barrett is a big, powerful specimen with a combative edge, meaning he is well suited to carrying the ball directly when required, as below off a Kiwi lineout on the right.

Having received the ball from McKenzie, Barrett initially shapes to pass before powering into contact, fighting to pirouette through the first contact and eking out a few extra metres with his leg drive. It’s a big gainline win on first phase.

But Barrett is certainly no bosh merchant. The Kiwis call the inside centre a ‘second-five-eighth,’ with their number 10 being the ‘first-five-eighth’. In that traditional sense, the number 12 is seen as a playmaker and not just a physical presence. Attack coach Joe Schmidt will want to get lots of variety from Barrett.

Jordie has also played at 10 in the past, including a start there against Namibia at the last World Cup, while his performances at fullback always included an element of distribution. So the All Blacks are keen to get that side of his game flowing at 12.

In the play above, Barrett has the short passing option of Ioane on his left shoulder, as McKenzie swings out the back for a possible return pass from Barrett.

As we see below earlier in the game, Barrett takes the front-door passing option by hitting Ioane for a threatening carry as McKenzie and right wing Emoni Narawa swing out the back.

Ioane nearly has the power to score off Barrett’s pass, but the All Blacks do dot down a couple of phases later through Ardie Savea.

In the second half, we see Barrett take the third option as he receives from McKenzie, fixes the Argentinian midfield along with Ioane, then swivels to sweep a return pass out the back of Ioane to McKenzie.

It’s a simple play from New Zealand but the key is that Barrett is a run threat himself and he can pop the short ball to Ioane, but instead goes out the back. It’s extremely poor defence from Argentina on first phase from a scrum but Jordie takes full advantage. McKenzie breaks and puts Beauden away for a try.

Jordie’s confidence as a passer could prove key for the Kiwis this year and the fact that he’s such a proven fullback means he’s obviously comfortable in less structured parts of the game.

In the instance below, he reloads in the shortside to take a pass from wing Caleb Clarke, draw a defender, and free Beauden up the left touchline.

Beauden then returns the favour to send Jordie sprinting clear for a first-half try.

While Jordie obviously has clearly defined roles to perform as the number 12, his versatility means he can be a threat from many different slots when the game breaks up or goes into high phases.

As well as being a good passer, he’s an excellent offloader, with his height and balance helping in that regard. He did throw one loose offload against the Pumas but generally, he’s the kind of player team-mates will run off looking for him to keep the ball alive.

Jordie has a huge boot when it comes to kicking and we saw him taking the linekicks to touch for the All Blacks last weekend, while his right foot can be useful for exiting from their half. But there is subtlety to his kicking too the Kiwis looked to that softer touch with one ambitious lineout play.

Barrett chips on first phase and though the bounce isn’t kind for Ioane, this gives us a sense of the possibilities Schmidt can consider with Barrett’s kicking game at 12.

With 12 carries, 11 passes, three offloads, and four kicks, there was a nice blend to Barrett’s performance last weekend, but there is no doubt that he will be under far more pressure from the Springboks this Saturday. Breathing room will be in scant supply.

Defending is as important as attacking, of course, and Barrett will also face an altogether different challenge without the ball. He made 13 tackles last weekend, with the effort below among his highlights as Barrett and Narawa prevented Argentina centre Matias Moroni from scoring.

But really, the Pumas attack was blunt when they weren’t just kicking the ball away and they didn’t ask great questions of Barrett.

For a player still learning to play 12 at the highest level, one of the big challenges will be lateral movement and readjusting to late changes of running angle or late passes by the attack. For a taller player like Barrett, that is even more difficult. Barrett does have good footwork, but the Springboks and other top sides will be more demanding in this sense.

One thing we know for sure is that Barrett has an appetite for contact. He certainly shares that with his other older brother, second row Scott, who was also outstanding against Argentina last weekend.

Relocating to midfield has also meant Jordie is more involved in the breakdown and he had two jackal turnovers for the All Blacks last weekend.

It’s more poor play from Argentina to leave the ball-carrier so isolated on first phase, but Barrett shows good awareness to recognise the chance and skill to snap down onto the ball to earn a clean turnover.

Barrett also puts his size and power to good use at the attacking ruck, which is an important job in midfield. Indeed, his 17 ruck arrivals in Mendoza were the third-highest of all the New Zealand players. Barrett can certainly shift bodies when he arrives.

Things go up a notch for the All Blacks centre on Saturday. He has enjoyed starts at 12 against Australia, Wales, England, and Argentina so far.