With the announcement that All Black centre Jordie Barrett will join Leinster in December and stay until the end of the following season, the club has pulled off a sensational transfer coup.
The 27-year-old, who has played in 57 Tests, is regarded as one of the top backs in the game and has chosen to take a break from the game as part of a new contract with New Zealand Rugby.
After the All Blacks’ European trip later this year, he will move to Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland, where he will stay for about half a year.
With the announcement that All Black centre Jordie Barrett will join Leinster in December and stay until the end of the following season, the club has pulled off a sensational transfer coup.
The 27-year-old, who has played in 57 Tests, is regarded as one of the top backs in the game and has chosen to take a break from the game as part of a new contract with New Zealand Rugby.
After the All Blacks’ European trip later this year, he will move to Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland, where he will stay for about half a year.
After spending some time living in Ireland in 2000, Jordie Barrett has decided to follow in his family’s footsteps and return to New Zealand during his vacation. Many elite All Blacks prefer to go to Japan.
The opportunity to improve his game in Leinster’s well-regarded system with guidance from new senior coach Jacques Nienaber, who led South Africa to World Cup triumph before relocating to Dublin, excites him.
“It will be an excellent location for me to grow as a player, in a unique setting where I’ll discover a plethora of new things,” he remarked.
This relocation is going to be really difficult, but I see it as a good challenge. I believe that playing in various conditions, with other teams and referees up north, will improve my game, change my perspective on it, and ultimately, hopefully, bring back the best aspects of New Zealand rugby and the Test shirt.
Jordie, who plays for New Zealand with siblings Beauden and Scott, continued, “Ireland is a special place for the Barrett family,” speaking of a personal nature. We have a plethora of wonderful family ties in Dublin, County Meath, and Oldcastle. It’s great to have the chance to reconnect with relatives, friends, and acquaintances from two decades ago.
“We’re delighted that Jordie has agreed to join us after New Zealand’s tour – especially as he has chosen Leinster ahead of a number of other very attractive options,” Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said, praising the team’s eye-catching acquisition. When one of the greatest players in the world is welcomed, I have no doubt that our fans will be ecstatic.
“Jordie is an All Black player with over fifty caps who possesses an exceptional skill set and has been performing at the top of the game for several seasons.” At Leinster, he is eager to try something new, and I have no doubt that we will both gain a lot from our interactions.
