All Blacks strength and conditioning coach Nic Gill shared a lot of others’ excitement at Beauden Barrett’s sizzling record time of 4min 12sec for the Bronco fitness test when Super Rugby sides returned to work on Monday.
Gill hasn’t clocked any All Blacks faster over the 1.2km shuttle run, but reckons if anyone can push Barrett close it’s Damien McKenzie, who is scheduled to do his Bronco test with Chiefs team-mates tomorrow.
Beauden Barrett completes his Bronco fitness test
The Bronco is the standard fitness test for the Super Rugby sides, and involves an up-and-back of 20m, 40m and 60m, five times over.
It appears no Super Rugby player had broken 4min 20sec until Barrett scorched the Alexandra Park turf like the trotters that zip around its racetrack.
Halfback Jonathan Ruru stuck with Barrett and clocked a highly impressive 4min 14sec as the Blues reported eight players recording personal bests.
Halfback Jonathan Ruru having his temperature taken before training.
At the Crusaders, former halfback Andy Ellis still holds their record of 4min 23sec, strength and conditioning coach Simon Thomas confirmed.
When asked, Hurricanes coach Jason Holland thought Jordie Barrett would match his brother but it seems the younger brother’s best is just over 4min 20sec.
There are no official records from offshore rugby teams, with US Sevens flyers and former sprinters Carlin Isles and Perry Baker said to have broken 4min 10sec for the Bronco which tests baseline fitness but also speed off the mark with its many quick turns.
The Super Rugby Aotearoa kicks off on June 13th with the Chiefs taking on the Highlanders at 5.05pm while the Blues play the Hurricanes at 3.05pm Sunday on June 14th.
