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.
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Ok, thanks for the rugby lesson, I'll head back to watching bash n' barge on Ch.9
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
I think you will find that Skelton is typical of a tighthead lock in how he plays the game and what he does. He was a big part of why Australia were able to stay in the fight against Ireland and France and if he had of played against Italy they may have won. He is their to do two things which is put the defence on the back foot and create fast/slow ruck ball depending on which side of the ball he is on. I think Skelton is like most locks on his side of the pack but may not be for an Oz or NZ player but rest of the T1 it is generally the biggest most physical player you have.. There is a reason why having a less physical front 5 can make the rest of the team look average.
Phil
Roar Rookie
Thought I’d take a look at this game to see for myself. First Toulouse try is from a bad misread in defence by Kerr Barlow that leads to the 13 racing away to score. Then a poor box kick in 32 min to easily give possession away. Then with lineout ball inside 22 just before half time he went himself and turned the ball over in contact. If you’re going to push so hard for him I think theres a need to highlight both the good and the bad to keep it real!
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
Fair point French second rows tend to be monsters like Willemse, Skelton & Meafou so perhaps playing as an orthodox second row may have been unfamiliar. Selton certainly wasn’t in an environment most conducive to him, which is analogous for TKB, not knocking him…
Bluesfan
Good that you ignore my point around Aki being a born and bred Kiwi. You keep on going on and on and attempting to raise different points because I'm highlighting your ignorance e.g. Aki born in NZ and not attempting to actually address my main point in this discussion. That a rule change that was introduced to stregthen T2 counties is now being utilized by T1 countries to build out their squad depth and via doing this is making international rugby into effectively Club rugby. Everything else you are writing is just attempting to take it off into a wild tangent without address the point that I have raised above. Now obviously you are happy that some international teams are effectively/or will be turning into International BaBa selections to ensure they are competitive but for my mind certain unions have just turned international rugby into a glorified club comp with players switching national representation basis income. You support that structure well good for you but I hold a very different view.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
It's more the strengthening of other teams that I'm against but on that point Aki was certainly earmarked and we dropped pretty rapidly from 2017 when Lowe left in 1027. Then we had Smith, Dagg, Naholo, NMS and Reiko as our wings, two years later we were down to Bridge as first choice.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Plays 11 of the 12 games he was fit for, starting three quarters of them and he wasn't a key person? Interesting spin Brendan! BTW that Tahs match was in the middle of four kiwi derbies.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
I never said that it was only a celt thing. I only used the celts and Japan because they (especially Wales) are the ones that the Islands often used to beat but don't now because the odds are stacked so heavily in their favour.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
So SA use a rule designed for T1 and its Europe's fault. You seem to want to believe I can't tell the difference between PI nations but its not hard. I live in Europe far more movement in people and immigrate communities all over the place, its why Poland is getting better at Rugby. Aki was called Samoan because people felt he should play for Samoa instead of Ireland, a country he had never lived. Reason he was called Samoan was to show the poor PIs were losing yet another player. PIs are getting plenty of their players back and the main nation they are transferring from is NZ so maybe the rule should have just said NZ and PI, but WR govern the world so the rule is for all nations like SA who also struggle from the same economic problems as the PIs. Not sure why you feel Fiji with twice as many players as Scotland should be allowed to use a rule but feel Scotland should not. Scotland didn't cap Mata and even helped him, not sure NZR did the same for Reece.
Bluesfan
Right - you do realize that Bundee Aki was born in Auckland right - being born in a country kinda makes you a Kiwi? Aki actually is a perfect example of the demographics of a modern day NZ. The people you are calling PI - are most of the time born in NZ and/or immigrated to NZ as children, Reece came to NZ as a teenager. But because they are Brown - they don't appear to be what you think of as "Kiwis". Guess those 400,000 PI's in NZ are all their to build out our rugby stocks right and not coming to another large Island in the Pacific for a better life. Now rather than becoming a very boring excerise in Nth vs Sth - please let me remind you around my orginal point. International rugby has turned into club rugby and as helped by your raising of Kleyn - There is no better example when you have playing switching between T1 countries. The rules were to allow T2 countries to build out their strength via players who having played for a T1 Country then decided after non-selection to then revert playing for countries of hertiage. Thus building out the strengths of lesser teams and making the international game more competitive. However what we now have is all T1 looking to manipulate these rules to their advantage and which in my eye's just reduces the game to a club competition. We already have Maori AB's representing Ireland because of $$ and it's won't be long before we have AB's rolling out for Ireland/Wales/Scotland in the example set by Jack Dempsey. A man so Scottish - prior to his professional rugby contract - had never even lived in Scotland. Now it's in the rules and NZ will do this as well (think J Ainsley ex Wallaby prime example) but just the fact that all these countries are doing this does 1. Not make it right as it was set up to strengthen T2 countries and not T1 and 2. Turns International rugby into a glorified club comp best seen as with Kleyn.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Sorry I see now he only started playing in R9 so must have been injured. nearly half his games he played that season where 50 minutes of less which for a team fighting fighting for top spot does not strike me as a key person figures. They lost 6 games in the regular season of which hew was involved in 5 including being benched at home against the Tahs who topped the log.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
You have said you don't like the players NZ cap so fair enough, but i think most view the rules like Rassie where we are against the rules but once they are brought in they will use all of them. I don't think any of the players who have played for any other nation was going to be an AB if they had stayed.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
2014 11 games 4 starts, If he was so good why in 2014 did he only play so few games when the chiefs played 19 games. The season that KB left he played every game possible for the Chiefs except for AB rest periods which Aki was not hindered by. In total he played 25 games for the Chiefs so he only made 14 when he was so important. If he played such a key role in the chiefs winning SR why was he not given an AB call up for the 28 games played between 2013 and 2014. Game against USA would have been an easy one.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
so for all the thing of it being European/Celt only Scotland are much above NZ and are still less than Australia. I also see you left out parent as Samoa and Tonga jump up massively. Scotland have half the players of Fiji and Australia which may be why they need the extra players. Can you tell me who the 5 frenchmen are as people often include French nationals born in France is it islands around the world. Mauvake was born in a French island and was a french citizen the day he was born, same with Vahaamahina. France – 1. Sa (called up after an injury), 2 Le Roux, 3 Vakatawa, 4 Guitoune, 5 Raka, Not sure who I missed as Guitoune has a French mother not sure about the others. 2 are from the PIs and 1 is from an African country that is not even affiliated with WR so where is he meant to play test rugby. New Zealand – 1. Laulala, 2. Tuʻungafasi, 3 Frizell, 4 Reece, all 4 from the PIs. You will find very few players from T2 European countries playing in the 6Ns teams, its one of the few places that the bigger teams don’t hoover up the best of the T2 nations around them and may be why European T2 nations are improving.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
You do realise if we got rid of the residency rules then players born in the PIs couldn't play for NZ like Reece, Fifta etc. Players like Fifta are current players born in another country capped by NZ under residence rules who are now going back to play for their home country at the first chance. We all know every country is diverse which is why the innocent NZR outine doesn't wash with most because NZ benefit being and employment destinations for PIs like Europe is for PIs, SA, Oz and NZ. I never mentioned maori, we see them as NZ people and do not consider them Tongan, Samoan or Fijian. Aki who Europeans thought was a NZer were shocked to findout that people were giving out Ireland capping him for denying Samoa a test player, now he is better he is back to being an NZer who Ireland stopped being an AB which is what we originally thought, so that makes more sense to us. It seems to us up here that all players who quailfy for the ABs under any rules are ok and questioning is not allowed but the moment they are surplus to requirement they become, Fijian, Tongan, Samoan or if just a plain old NZer a mercenary. Can't have it both ways, only need look at the new players for Tonga and Samoa and see who had made all these players not eligible for the PI nations, tell be how many are because of a 6N team, is there even five players capped by not Nz or Oz.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Why are we always obsessed with backs in Australia........? great to have the additional talent, but they are not going to win us the RWC. Even when we buy players from the NRL, its always backs (I know, I know, easier to convert). I know we need good future 9s and 10s, but its the forward pack that will make the real difference in my view.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
That's obvious, he should be allowed to play for whichever country or countries he and his parents were born in. That's the point of international sport.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Actually Aki was an ever present for the Chiefs, playing a key role in the season and especially the final, not the reject you seem to be trying to claim. I don't expect him to do anything, it's his his right to go and play for an overseas club, but the Irish national team shouldn't benefit.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Two of my list also went overseas for a while but came back. I've no problems with him going to France to play club rugby but the French national team being able to gain foreign players from having a rich league totally goes against the spirit of international competition.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
I just lumped them all together Brendan, the Celts and Japan gain from the current rules, the islands don't. I've said on here many times that we shouldn't gain either. I'd say that comparing Ireland and Scotland to Australia before it was fully colonised is a bit irrelevant. Let's do a tally of players qualifying by residency or grandparents by team at the latest RWC. However you might try to muddy the water it's pretty clear that it's not the island nations gaining from this. Tonga 0 Samoa 1 Fiji 0 Japan 15 Scotland 9 Australia 12 Italy 5 Wales 5 Ireland 4 England 5 France 5 NZ 4