This article was originally published by Stuff and is reproduced with permission
The Blues are poised to make a controversial move to bring All Blacks star Beauden Barrett into their squad for the rest of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
With the 32-year-old, 123-test international back from his sabbatical in Japan with Toyota Verblitz, and now training with the Auckland club as he eyes the upcoming test season, the Blues have confirmed they have started the wheels turning on an application to add him to their squad for the rest of the campaign.
The ball, presumably, is now in the court of Super Rugby Pacific’s new competition HQ and New Zealand Rugby as they eye the legality and appropriateness of such a late-season roster change-up.
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The 11-1 Blues, riding a nine-game win streak, have two matches remaining in the regular season – against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night and then at home against the Chiefs on June 1 – and then will have a home quarterfinal at Eden Park.
Should they retain their No 1 spot on the standings – they sit three points clear of nearest pursuers the Hurricanes – the Aucklanders would play all their finals football at Eden Park. They are eyeing a first Super Rugby title since 2003, after being beaten finalists in ’22 and beaten semifinalists last year.
“Beauden is back from Japan and given he’s contracted with the Blues in 2025 and lives in Auckland, he’s back training with the team,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday.
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“The Blues are seeking clarification around the application process for including Barrett at the [club] for the remainder of this season.”
The Blues do have injuries to their first-choice players at fullback and first five. Regular No 15 Zarn Sullivan is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery and Stephen Perofeta has not played since the end of March after injuring his shoulder against Moana Pasifika.
Perofeta was supposed to make a return to action off the bench last round against the Highlanders, but was ruled out late in the week after suffering a setback.
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Barrett, who remains contracted to NZ Rugby, has been used previously at both first five and fullback by the Blues. He played for the Auckland franchise in 2020, ’22 and ’23 after moving north from the Hurricanes, and spent both 2021 (Suntory Sungoliath) and ’24 in Japan on sabbatical release.
But bringing in a player of Barrett’s calibre at this stage of the campaign could be tinged with controversy, and require the unravelling of much red tape. Do regulations allow such a late addition? Ditto contracts? Is it in the spirit of the competition? Would the Hurricanes seek to do likewise with Ardie Savea, also back from Japan, and still contracted to NZ Rugby?
The Blues seem set to test the waters on the prospect.
One thing is certain: parachuting in Barrett would be a tough call indeed on Harry Plummer and Cole Forbes who have made an outstanding fist of the job as fill-ins for the Blues at first five and fullback, respectively.
Barrett looked fresh and invigorated as he joined the Blues on the training field on Tuesday.
He will be hoping to add to his 123 test caps with Scott Robertson’s All Blacks in 2024, where he could play at either first five or fullback, depending on team needs.