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Ranfurly Shield hero Beauden Barrett was notably absent from the All Blacks training at Whakatāne on Tuesday.
The All Black star’s wife Hannah is very pregnant.
Barrett’s absence was a relief for Canterbury’s lock and his All Blacks teammate Sam Whitelock after Taranaki upset Canterbury 23-22 to lift the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch last Saturday.
Joe Allison / Getty Images
Beauden Barrett has the Ranfurly Shield after Taranaki defeated Canterbury 23-22 in Christchurch last Saturday.
Whitelock has endured some pain from the Taranaki All Blacks, but said it could have been a lot worse.
“Beauden is not here, so that definitely takes some of the pain off him,” Whitelock said Tuesday.
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“All the best to Beauds and Hannah right now,” he said.
Dave Rowland / Getty Images
Beauden Barrett and his wife Hannah are expecting their first child.
Speaking at Gold AM’s Country Sport Breakfast last week, Barrett suggested that Taranaki’s Ranfurly Shield challenge, which was ultimately successful, “could be my last game in a couple of weeks.”
All blacks and babies have been a hot topic in recent weeks following news that the Rugby Championship would be held in Australia and New Zealand players would be away from their families from late October until Christmas.
A report suggested that new parents Richie Mo’unga, TJ Perenara, and the long-awaited Barrett were all set to be unavailable for the trip to Australia.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Sam Whitelock says he’s saved some pain from the Ranfurly Shield with Beauden Barrett absent from All Blacks training.
Mo’unga dismissed the report and said he would be on the plane and Perenara has since confirmed his availability.
“We don’t have much in front of us, in facts and details. It’s difficult to make a decision,” Barrett told Gold AM’s Country Sport Breakfast last week about his availability.
Prior to the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play two Bledisloe Cup events against Australia in Wellington on October 11 and in Auckland on October 18.
