"Small efforts lead to bigger things." - Beauden Barrett

Toyota Verblitz has announced their lineup for the Round 13 match against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars, which will take place at the Kakidomari Athletic Stadium in Nagasaki on April 13. In the previous round, Beauden Barrett who was absent returns as number 10, and Pieter-Steph du Toit, absent since the 9th round against Spears, starts at 8 after missing four games. The wing-duo consists of Shuhei Yamaguchi and Yuichiro Wada, seniors and juniors from Doshisha University. Beauden Barrett attended the press conference two days before the match. 

To reach the top four, winning all the remaining games is the minimum requirement. The New Zealand representative with 123 caps commented, “If we do the calculation, the possibility is still there. We just focus on what we can control. First, we need to focus on the game this weekend," looking ahead to the match two days later. 

This season, the team has yet to achieve consecutive victories and struggles to maintain momentum, but he added, "no one lacks intent or hard work. We train hard every day, while enjoying it and connecting as a team. We focus on strengths rather than negatives. We’re focused on finishing the season strong." There is no wavering in the team's commander.

Barrett hopes to play for the All Blacks. Recently, Scott Robertson, the newly appointed head coach, arrived in Japan to visit each League One club, including Verblitz, where Barrett also had time to talk. To be selected for the All Blacks, playing in New Zealand is required, and he will play for the Blues next season, but he also stated in the press conference a potential return to Japan in the long run. “I would love to come back someday. There are no promises about the future, but I love Japan. It’s been a great time so far with Toyota, and Nagoya has been a great place for my family. There are many things to do besides rugby,” he said, showing his fondness. 

When he played for Sungoliath previously, it was in the middle of the pandemic. However, this time, he said, "I'm enjoying the cherry blossom season in Japan with my family," indicating his enjoyment. Even on this day after the team session, Barrett diligently worked on his kicks. "Skills drop if I don’t do enough in about two to three weeks. I strive to grow in every training and game. Small efforts lead to bigger things,” he said. With Barrett's leadership, the goal is to first stack two wins and ride the wave.