English rugby critic says Barrett 'can’t play fullback if he can’t tackle'

An English rugby critic has accused New Zealand Rugby of “brandishing a smug superiority complex'’ in its approach to Australia over a new Super Rugby format, and also claims Beauden Barrett “can’t play fullback if he can’t tackle’’.

Chris Foy who is the Chief Rugby writer for The Daily Mail slammed NZ Rugby’s attitude to their “struggling neighbours’', Australia, over a trans-Tasman Super Rugby format.

NZR has proposed an eight to 10 team trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition with as few as two Australian teams and a Pasifika side.

Stuff.co.nz reports that Foy wrote “They have thrown a few crumbs from their table towards their trans-Tasman rivals, accompanied by sneering disdain from the last All Blacks head coach [Steve Hansen] and the new one [Ian Foster] – who hasn’t even taken charge for one Test yet. And the English are the arrogant ones, apparently,’’.

He added “It is the sense of Australian officials and franchises having to court approval from New Zealand which so jars – while South Africa have been cut out of the blueprint altogether, despite being the world’s No1-ranked country and holders of the Webb Ellis Cup,’’.

“New Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has complained about a ‘master-servant’ dynamic in the region, and who can blame him?’’

Foy noted New Zealand teams had won 17 of the 24 Super Rugby titles but pointed out the competition with Australia offered “greater commercial prospects’’, which strengthened Rugby Australia’s bid for “a proper partnership’’ involving at least four of the five Australian franchises.

“While Australian rugby is in a slump, the World Cup is destined to return there in 2027, whereas New Zealand surely can't hope to stage it ever again based on the one-nation staging policy in recent times. So the balance of southern power may eventually change, which is all the more reason for a more collaborative approach now.”

In Super Rugby Aotearoa this week, the Hurricanes will take on the Crusaders at 7.05pm Saturday while the Chiefs will face the Blues at 3.35pm Sunday.

Stuff.co.nz