How Beauden Barrett learned to play bare-footed

IALA: Beauden Barrett developing his rugby skills at a young age.

Beauden Barrett's mother Robyn would wait at the gates in rural Taranaki too meet the 10 year old boy and his brothers Scott and Jordie but only took home their bags. They were told to run the 3.5km run home to the family farm at Pungarehu, on the Surf Highway near the Cape Lighthouse - barefooted. Beauden the eldest of three, is now the world rugby player of the year and last Friday against Samoa the Barrett's became the first trio of siblings to be in a match-day All Blacks squad at the same time. 

Beauden Barrett on attack during the test against Samoa

An active development was central to creating one of the most talented families in New Zealand's sporting history. "Yeah, that's the way it was" recalled Beauden. He also recalls his mother always told them to run, because she was very athletic. He didn't mind running as long as he was out of the classroom. The objective of the run was to beat the bus home, the bus had a block to do. Many times then not they'd beat it. 

Beauden Barrett seems to relish every moment he is in the black jersey.

It is little wonder that the 26 year old Beauden was on the end of an All Black breakout from defence against Samoa, an 80 metre effort that ended with him toe poking the ball onward and touching down, the little kid still chasing and beating the school bus. He won his 50th cap, lock Scott 5th and Jordie was on debut as a utility back. Older brother Kane was a Super Rugby player for the Blues but has been sidelined with concussion while the youngest brother of the five boys of eight children, Blake, is a promising young player with Taranaki club Coastal. 

Beauden Barrett conjures up an unlikely off-load against Samoa

"I'm a kiwi country boy" says Barrett. "Fresh air and open spaces - we were blessed with that" says Barrett. "It was all we knew. I live in Wellington now but I love going back to the farm where all you can hear is the cows and the sea crashing in about a kilometre away" Father Kevin used to teach them the basic catch and pass skills, the very sort of stuff we do now with the All Blacks.

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