Barrett Brothers Face Doubts for All Blacks’ Test Against Scotland

New Zealand’s rugby captain Scott Barrett and his brother Jordie Barrett are both uncertain for the All Blacks’ upcoming test match against Scotland after sustaining injuries during their victory over Ireland. The match took place on November 11, 2023, at Soldier Field in Chicago, where New Zealand triumphed 26-13 despite the early setbacks.

Scott Barrett exited the game just three minutes in due to a laceration on his leg. Scott Robertson, the All Blacks’ head coach, stated, “Scooter has a laceration, a cut in the leg. We will see how long that is going to take but it is a decent cut at the bottom of his knee there.” Meanwhile, Jordie Barrett was replaced around 13 minutes later after sustaining injuries to his ankle and knee during a tackle.

“He’s tough, he just wanted to keep running,” Robertson added regarding Jordie’s determination to continue playing before being substituted. “He got a little bit of a hip drop. We will just see how bad once we’ve done a scan.”

The brothers’ injuries had an emotional impact on their sibling Beauden Barrett, who also played in the match. He acknowledged the concern for his brothers: “Obviously my bros are a bit beaten up. Scott had a laceration on his leg and Jordie’s high ankle and knee didn’t look great.” Beauden expressed pride in the team’s performance, stating, “I was super proud and happy with how we responded. I could have let that rattle me, seeing my two bros go off. I was impressed with how we stayed connected and stayed aligned on what we wanted to achieve, and we came away with the right result.”

Upcoming Challenges for the All Blacks

As the All Blacks prepare for their November tour, they have their sights set on achieving a Grand Slam by securing victories against the four home nations. Their next challenge will be against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, followed by matches against England at Twickenham on November 15 and Wales in Cardiff one week later.

The uncertainty surrounding Scott and Jordie Barrett’s availability adds an element of unpredictability for New Zealand’s lineup as they aim to maintain momentum on the international stage. The team’s resilience and ability to adapt will be crucial as they face increasingly competitive opponents in the coming weeks.