Soccer skills help Barrett silence critics

SYDNEY: All Black playmaker Beauden Barrett on Saturday revealed how long dormant soccer skills picked up in Ireland helped his scintillating display in New Zealand’s 38-13 demolition of Australia. Barrett has faced calls to make way for in-form fly-half Richie Mo’unga, who helped the Canterbury Crusaders to back-to-back Super Rugby titles this year. But the two-time World Rugby player of the year answered his critics with a superb second half performance as New Zealand ran over the Wallabies in the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney. His tactical nous helped the All Blacks score six tries to one against the Wallabies and make them overwhelming favourites to retain the Bledisloe for a 16th straight year.