The All Blacks are playing a style of rugby that better suits their DNA, according to veteran playmaker Beauden Barrett.<\/p>\n
The former World Rugby Player of the Year will earn his first start under new head coach Dave Rennie on Friday evening in the opening match of the Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry tour against the Stormers and gets his opportunity to run the team\u2019s attacking structures.<\/p>\n
New Zealand\u2019s attack was heavily scrutinised under Scott Robertson, and there has been a clear change under Rennie\u2019s<\/a> tutelage, with the head coach employing the services of ex-Scotland scrum-half Mike Blair.<\/p>\n All Blacks\u2019 improved attack<\/p>\n Speaking to the media in Cape Town, Barrett<\/a> credited the improved attacking structures to the success of the New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific teams, with the Hurricanes breaking the competition\u2019s record for the most tries in a single season.<\/p>\n Having run the All Blacks<\/a> attack in well over 100 Tests, there is perhaps no person better placed to comment on the way the team operates with ball in hand, having also played under three previous coaches, than Barrett. According to him, the All Blacks are now playing to their DNA, and in a way they used to \u2013 suggesting they weren\u2019t doing so under Robertson<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been a good flow on from the success of the Super Rugby teams, and in some way it\u2019s reasonably consistent with the way that Dave wants to play and Mike Blair \u2013 so, it\u2019s really positive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s our DNA, like it\u2019s how we like to play, how we arguably used to play, and there\u2019s a nice free-flowing element to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Stormers v All Blacks prediction: Dave Rennie to get \u2018answers\u2019 in a comfortable win featuring mouth-watering \u2018master versus apprentice\u2019 showdown<\/a><\/p>\n Wary not to overplay his hand<\/p>\n With Ruben Love starting all three Test matches in July at fly-half with Damian McKenzie doing the same at full-back, Barrett wasn\u2019t required against France, Italy and Ireland in the Nations Championship.<\/p>\n The experienced campaigner is keen to get stuck in but wary not to overplay his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI know how excited I am and I\u2019m conscious that I don\u2019t want to overdo it either, like overplay,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about containing that and making good decisions because there have been a few weeks between games for me. So there might be a tendency to really rip in and get stuck in, but at the same time it\u2019s about controlling those emotions, those temptations and just backing myself in the preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n Dave Rennie expecting Springboks \u2018curveballs\u2019 from \u2018innovative\u2019 Rassie Erasmus but teases that the All Blacks \u2018have got a few ourselves\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n On the prospect of facing the Stormers, he added: \u201cWe\u2019ve respectfully prepared accordingly around what we\u2019re up against and who we\u2019re up against.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team has just been named, so we will continue to work on specifically the individuals that have been selected and can recall playing at Newlands; it is still in the top three stadiums for me. Playing against Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers \u2013 some great, great names as a Hurricane at the time. So, it\u2019s just great to be back in Cape Town \u2013 we really feel the love and the support here in the city.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Stormers obviously had a pretty successful season, making the semi-final, and we are very aware of their threats.\u201d<\/p>\n Verdict on South Africa\u2019s Super Rugby exit<\/p>\n Having spoken so fondly about his time in Cape Town with the Hurricanes, Barrett was asked if he missed having South African clubs in Super Rugby.<\/p>\n