Jordie Barrett Leinster and All Black star Jordie Barrett in action against the Springboks. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
The Sharks versus Leinster match in Durban on Saturday will have a mouth-watering midfield showdown between home boy André Esterhuizen and All Black Jordie Barrett.
John Plumtree will have given his team his inside information on Barrett because he coached him at the Hurricanes.
“I was chatting to Jason Holland (the former Hurricanes coach who is now part of Scott Robertson’s All Blacks staff) this morning, and we were talking about just how good Jordie is,” said Plumtree.
“I thought he was huge against the Bulls. He has softer touches to his game, the ability to put players around him into space that few other players do.
“But he is also physically strong and powerful. I also know full well how competitive he is. He is an absolute beast in the collision area, and his work-rate is immense.”
Plumtree was also the forwards coach at the All Blacks when Barrett was coming through on the international stage.
“His play in the midfield last week was immense, he was hugely influential, and his work-rate was immense. It was hotter than expected in Pretoria, but the work he got through around the park was unreal.
“Jordie is a massive player for Leinster and a big threat. I wouldn’t mind if Jordie has gone back to Ireland actually,” Plumtree half-joked with reference to how many of Leinster’s best players are preparing for their upcoming game against Bath in the Champions Cup.
The Sharks are mostly unaware of who will start against them.
Coach Leo Cullen has been coy about which players have travelled back to Ireland, and whether any reinforcements have come over.
The only insight Plumtree has had on the opposition was a photograph of Ireland prop Cian Healy in training in Durban, so that is at least one big gun who has come over.