“There has been a bit of that and hopefully a little bit more,” says Jordie Barrett about a sport he enjoys other than rugby. He has been getting himself around the Dublin golf courses, the links at Portmarnock, the championship course at Druids Glen with Josh van der Flier and a few of the other single-handicap players among the Leinster squad.
“The clocks have changed , it’s a nice time of the year and the place looks different with a bit of sun on it,” he says.
When Barrett takes his place on Friday night at the Aviva Stadium to face Glasgow in the Champions Cup quarter-final, there will, probably, have been a couple of hours put in following the opening day’s play in the Masters on Thursday.
But, he cautions, he left New Zealand to work not to play. Still, a world-class All Blacks player benching for Leinster may seem like an expensive indulgence. The limited role could also be seen as constraining his potential, but Barrett is unconcerned and pleased with coming on for Garry Ringrose in the second half against Harlequins last Saturday in Croke Park to play a 30-minute game.
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“It would be nice to get around the country and play on some of those golf courses, but I am ultimately here to do a job,” he says. “I get questions like that from mates at home and people on the street here. I am here to do a job, play well for Leinster, that’s ultimately what I will be judged on.
“I had conversations with Leo [Cullen] before even coming over here, the role could change week to week. There’s world-class players here, so I’m just hoping I stay fit and healthy and whatever opportunity I get, I’ll take with two hands. If your job is to come on and change a game, to add some value or to put a game away, that’s your job for that week.
“If your job is to start, obviously you want to start and play well and put the team in a good position.”
Chances are Barrett, who has 68 All Blacks caps and two World Cup medals, a silver from France 2023 and bronze from Japan 2019, will be following Ryan Fox, who is among the field in Augusta.
Ryan’s father Grant was a huge name in New Zealand rugby, “a legend”, says Barrett, and an outhalf who was among the first players to tilt the ball forward for kicking. He was part of the New Zealand team that won the inaugural World Cup in 1987.
“Ryan Fox has his PGA Tour card and he’s in the Masters again,” says Barrett. “I’d the opportunity to go to Phoenix about six weeks ago and walked around the TPC there and followed Ryan Fox for a few days.
“It’s nice, he’s flying the flag for New Zealand golf. There’s a lot of other good New Zealand golfers doing well. So, in some ways it’s like you guys have Rory [McIlroy] and hopefully he can have a good one this weekend.”
As the two-handicap golfer has shown this season, he is comfortable adapting. Now 28, Barrett, who was also a talented fast bowler as a teenager, can play at Test-level rugby in most positions across the backline as well as kick points.
“When I was young and impatient I wanted to play in one position, but I played 10, 12, 13, left wing, right wing and fullback,” he says. “It’s a gift for me now, because I understand as a 12 what your 13 needs out of you, what helps a winger, what a 15 needs from a 10 and the other way.
“That certainly helps you understand the game better. It’s set me up for now,” he says. “My form. I’ll reserve judgments for you guys, you can tell me how good or poorly I’m playing!”
Just as calmer elements help golfers, the Irish weather may now be kinder to Leinster and the 10 tries against Harlequins showed how players enjoy dry spring conditions. It will be a night game against Glasgow on Friday, but Barrett senses the cold and wet have been physically and metaphorically shaken off. While not quite Augusta, Georgia conditions, there is no better time of year for the team to begin to express itself.
“We squeezed them [Harlequins] defensively, our attack was fluid, a lot of things we’ve been working on through the season from an attacking point of view shone through and the weather assists in that sometimes too,” he says.
“You’re playing through November, December, January, you’re trying to play a certain way, but you’re handcuffed, and you have to be patient in that space. Ultimately bring your best stuff at this time of the season.”
In that regard, rugby and golf make the same demands.
