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If this truly is a “smash and grab” job, Eddie Jones must pick up the phone and ask Tawera Kerr-Barlow, whose mother played for the Wallaroos, to trade his yellow La Rochelle jersey for a gold Wallabies one.
The former All Blacks World Cup-winner, who is eligible to play for the Wallabies and stated that he is available if called upon, is the second best half-back in the world.
The only one better? Antoine Dupont, the French maestro who over the weekend guided Toulouse to an unbelievable come-from-behind victory to seal the Top 14 with a late try when Kerr-Barlow had just been replaced.
Tawera Kerr Barlow was one of La Rochelle’s standout players during their epic final loss to Toulouse in the 2023 French Top 14 final in Paris. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Until he was replaced in the 69th minute, it was Kerr-Barlow who looked the world’s best.
Behind a yellow army, including Will Skelton, the 32-year-old bossed the game in front of 80,000 at the Stade de France – the venue for the World Cup final.
Kerr-Barlow’s game had it all.
His 50-22 in the 13th minute was superbly taken.
Later, his clearing box-kick up to just short of the halfway line from nine metres out in the 17th minute showed the distance he has, while his clever box-kick behind the French defence in the 28th minute pinned Romain Ntamack in his corner and led to a turnover. These were big moments from a big-time player.
His running game was also on display, jumping in at first-receiver following a Skelton carry, where he stepped off his left-foot and found some space between two Toulouse tight-five forwards to score.
He also showed his willingness to pop out at halfback in the 57th minute, making metres on the edge of the ruck.
But what also went under the radar was his willingness and effectiveness at putting his head into the ruck to ensure La Rochelle kept the ball in the 13th minute, as he sprinted 15 metres from where he passed the ball. Ditto, in the 56th minute. It led to a penalty for La Rochelle, as he got under two defenders including Jack Willis.
More than anything, the tempo and control he played with, as well as the speed of delivery he provided, was something that put La Rochelle on the precipice of claiming their maiden Top 14 trophy to go along with their European Championship Cup last month.
It was only recently Jones said Australia was a “tier-two nation”.
When others laughed off his remarks, the Wallabies coach shot back that he was right and the nation’s win-loss record said it all.
He’s not wrong.
Since 2016, the Wallabies have won only 42 per cent of Tests.
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones must pick Tawera Kerr-Barlow, according to Christy Doran. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
That figure puts Australia behind New Zealand (77), England, who were coached by Jones during that period, and Ireland (73), South Africa (57), France and Scotland (55), and Wales (54).
The Wallabies need winners. Kerr-Barlow is one.
In his 27 Tests for the All Blacks, he lost just one match – a 27-25 epic, where Patrick Lambie kicked a long-range penalty to seal victory for the Springboks on the High Veldt in 2014 – while winning the World Cup in 2015.
He also led the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013, starting in the No.9 jersey in both matches.
Since then, he’s helped lead La Rochelle to the summit of European rugby, winning back-to-back Heineken Cups, including their epic come-from-behind victory over Leinster in Dublin.
Tawera Kerr-Barlow makes a break during the Heineken Champions Cup Final against Leinster at Aviva Stadium on May 20, 2023 in Dublin. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
While Kerr-Barlow made himself ineligible to play for the All Blacks by moving to Europe, World Rugby’s law changes last year means the halfback is eligible to be called up by the Wallabies.
Kerr-Barlow, who is from Darwin and lived in the Northern Territory until he was 13, still has family in Australia. His mother, Gail, played halfback for the Wallaroos in 1995. Sound Australian enough for you?
Last year, he said World Rugby’s eligibility changes were positive for the global game.
“It is a really positive thing,” he said.
“You get players who play a handful of Tests for a country and that is their eligibility shot and they have still got a lot to offer world rugby. We all want world rugby to be strong, we want it to be a spectacle and some of the best players in the world, they move overseas and they grow and they improve.
“You have got the likes of Charles Piutau in England, Steven Luatua is there, you have got Victor Vito in France, you have got all these guys who could add so much to their country. Even myself, I’d love to chuck on the Australian jersey as I spent the first part of life in Australia, my family is still there and I’m very grateful for what they have done for my family. My mum played for Australia.
“It [opening up eligibility] is a positive thing. You will get people saying, ‘Oh, you know, you’re not loyal’ or ‘How can you play for one country and play for another?’ But if you are born in a country or your parents are born there and you feel a certain way about the country and you have got roots already established, then why not?
“I’m a pretty open individual in terms of those sorts of things and I just want rugby to be the big thing I know it can be because if you love rugby, you want it to improve.”
While Rugby Australia’s eligibility policy allows them to pick three overseas-based players, The Roar understands the governing body is set to shift the number to five.
Why stop there?
Ma’a Nonu offloads to Tawera Kerr-Barlow during the All Blacks’ big win over France in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final at the Millennium Stadium. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
If the ‘Eddie Exemption’ is to be moved to five for the World Cup campaign, they should forget about putting a number to it and add whomever they need to challenge for the Cup.
After all, for rugby in Australia to make a splash in the ocean it needs to win. What’s more, the only way they’ll be able to pay – and retain – its best talent is if it RA gets a bigger broadcast deal.
For now, Kerr-Barlow’s heard little from RA.
“I haven’t had any contact with them,” he told SENZ last month.
“My camp has reached out to them and I don’t think there was much interest … it got blown massively out of proportion but I put my hand up to be available since the rule changed and I’ve always said I’ve always been proud to have come from Darwin.
“There’s a lot of people and support there that helped my family through my childhood and stuff and it would be nice to repay them but I think nothing’s going to come of it so it’s kind of a moot point.”
However, The Roar understands RA believes Kerr-Barlow’s eligibility is a conversation worth having. Indeed, rugby figures were talking of his name on Sunday morning.
It is. All it needs is someone with the audacity to pick up the phone. No-one in Australia, including the excellent Nic White, commands a game at halfback like Kerr-Barlow. In internationals, where most of the rugby is played off halfbacks, his tempo and big-game nature could prove defining.
Jones has never shied away from making a big decision.
Now, it’s time for Jones to pull another rabbit out of the hat and bring the boy from Darwin back home.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.