BEAUDEN BARRETT

Go with the flow. With the incumbent. With the bloke who delivered for you in Australia, and more than hinted that he’s shifting right back into the topend form that saw him dominate the world game as the best No 10 on the planet.

That’s my read on Foster’s selection dilemma this week as he weighs his choice at No 10 to face Wales. It’s a conundrum with no wrong answer – both classy practitioners of their craft can deliver, it’s a matter of what order you want to roll them out.

Of course the starting job is the premo one, carrying the most responsibility and the lion’s share of the minutes. And Barrett deserves that crack this week – for two simple reasons.

Firstly he’s the form horse, having mixed some sublime creative and attacking play through the Rugby Championship with one or two scratchy moments that were to be expected from a fellow fresh off a season plying his trade in Japan.

Barrett is electrifying when he’s at his best, with that ability to almost glide through gaps in the defence, and his distribution, kicking out of hand, tactical acumen and ability to seize the moment appeared to be building nicely in Australia.

He’s due this opportunity. He shifted to fullback in 2019 to accommodate Mo’unga’s inexorable rise in the starting XV, and earlier this year dropped to the backup spot without grumble.

But he’s now got runs on the board, some momentum, and no doubt his confidence is back up where it needs to be. It is time to have a look at the one-two punch back in the old order. For those worried about Barrett’s shaky goalkicking, it is not an issue while his younger brother has things covered from fullback.

The balance may tilt again after this week, but for now it’s Beaudy’s time to shine in the spotlight.