Jordie Barrett is embracing his opportunity to return to what he describes as his favorite position on the rugby field, when the Hurricanes take on the Chiefs on Sunday.
The All Blacks fullback has been named to start in the midfield at Wellington as part of a rejigged backline, with Reuben Love shifting from his regular role at first-five to replace him.
A genuine utility in every sense of the word, Barrett has spent time at every position across the Hurricanes backline except for halfback, and he admits second-five is where he feels he's able to make the most impact.
"I think 12 is the most comfortable position for me,"said Barrett. "This week at training I haven't felt clunky, which is a good thing.
"I'll need a bit of an edge going into the weekend playing against some quality midfielders in [Chiefs players] Quinn Tupaea and Anton Lienert-Brown, but I've felt good.
"I have plenty of good help inside and outside me. We've got a game plan that's constantly evolving.
"It's exciting, I'm able to get my hands on the ball a lot and contribute."
It's almost three year agos to the day the 25-year-old last wore the Hurricanes No. 12 jersey, back during a round-six win over the Stormers in 2019.
"It's exciting," said Barrett of his opportunity. "Training has been really good this week. I've been asked to do something for the team, so it's something that I've just jumped into.
"I'm just rapt to get in there and contribute."
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland said the selection was aimed to inspire better decision-making at both ends of the paddock, while adding more attacking flair across the backline, after the disappointment of their heartbreaking golden-point defeat to Moana Pasifika last week.
"It's always been one of the options we've had since pre-season," said Holland. "We feel it's a good time to get Jordie in there.
"It's more to just make sure we make some really good decisions and we get our attacking game going.
"It's not so much what the other midfielders don't have, it's more just a combination of players."
This season, the Hurricanes have used the likes of Julian Savea - who'll play wing this weekend - Teihorangi Walden and Peter Umaga-Jensen at second-five so far, and Holland suggested Barrett's move wasn't simply a one-off.
"We'll take it game by game, but I'd say we're looking at him having a run of games there," he confirmed.
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