Sunday Special: ABs in mythbusting mode
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Myth 1:
Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett can’t play in the same team.
Damian McKenzie was good to very good last week, Mo’unga was very good to excellent last night. All the while, the third 10, Barrett, has been quietly revelatory at fullback.
The key has been getting Barrett’s noise ever-so-slightly lower in the mix. In the past, Mo’unga has tended to defer to Barrett when the heat comes on and the play can get a little kick-happy and lateral.
Last night Mo’unga was the conductor, while Barrett’s injections were clever, well-timed and purposeful.
The combination that once looked like a badly arranged marriage now looks as natural as Stan and Hilda Ogden. It would not surprise me if Barrett never played another test in the No10 jersey.