One of New Zealand rugby’s most exciting and versatile backs will link up with former Springbok boss Jacques Nienaber at Leinster next season.

Nienaber joined the Irish club as senior coach in November and on Monday, Leinster confirmed the signing of All Blacks and Hurricanes star Jordie Barrett on a short-term deal until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

In signing a new contract extension with the New Zealand Rugby, the 27-year-old has exercised an option to play overseas and he will join up with his new teammates in December 2024.

Barrett, , who has played over 100 Super Rugby games, has strong family connections with the province and with Co Meath, where he spent some time in the early 2000s when his family relocated to Oldcastle, while his father Kevin managed a farm and played rugby with Buccaneers.

Speaking about the decision, the 57-Test All Black said, “It’s going to be a great place for me to develop as a rugby player in a different environment where I’ll learn so many different things.

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“Ireland is a special place for the Barrett family. We’ve got so many great family connections in Oldcastle, in County Meath and throughout Dublin. To have an opportunity to go back and meet some family and friends and connections that were made twenty years ago is pretty cool.”

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has welcomed the announcement, adding, “We’re delighted that Jordie has agreed to join us after New Zealand’s tour in early December, especially as he has chosen Leinster ahead of a number of other very attractive options.

“Jordie is a fifty-plus cap All Black with an outstanding skillset who has been performing at the highest level of the game for multiple seasons now. He is keen to seek out a new experience at Leinster and I’m sure we will learn a lot from each other during his time with us.

“The Barrett family have strong connections with Ireland and Leinster in particular, so it’s a sort of homecoming for Jordie!

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“I’m sure all our supporters will be really excited to welcome one of the best players in the world and see up close what he brings to the team. We would also like to thank the New Zealand Rugby Union for their support with this move.”

“As a whole, I think this move is going to be really challenging, but a positive challenge,” Barrett added. “Heading north to different conditions, different teams, different referees – I think it will open my game up, make me see the game differently and I’ll ultimately bring the best bits back to New Zealand rugby and into a Test jersey, ideally, at the end of it.

“The reality of being a professional athlete is that you’ve only got a small window to have these opportunities and I’d love to be sitting there in twenty or thirty years with my kids or grandkids, knowing that I left no stone unturned, and I took up this opportunity to better myself.”

The post Nienaber to coach All Blacks star appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Src: sarugbymag.co.za