“It was a wee while ago, that I used to sit up there and watch the older brothers play and, yeah, can’t wait to pull on the amber and black again,” he said while the team was training at Stadium Taranaki.
Scott Barrett was spotted training with the Taranaki Bulls after a long stint on the sidelines with a back injury. Photo / Taranaki Bulls
Barrett was All Blacks captain under former coach Scott Robertson, but under new coach Dave Rennie, Ardie Savea has assumed that post.
However, Savea dislocated his shoulder in the third test against South Africa, likely leaving him out of the squad for the remainder of this year’s fixtures and opening the door for Barrett to return as captain.
Barrett’s next opportunity to play for the All Blacks comes in October when they play two Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia before three Nations Championship fixtures in Europe in November against Scotland, Wales and England.
In his return to the NPC, the 32-year-old will form a second-row pair with Josh Lord, with fellow All Black Josh Jacomb starting in the No 10 jersey.
Taranaki will look to build on their 55-19 victory over Southland last week against table toppers Hawke’s Bay.
The Magpies will be hoping to bounce back from recent poor form, losing to North Harbour and Bay of Plenty.
Taranaki sit seventh on the ladder with 24 points, eight behind Hawke’s Bay, who are level with Northland and Otago.