ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Sport
BEAUDEN BLUES
Hannah Fowler, 29, has today demanded answers from the All Blacks coaching staff after discovering veteran All Black Beauden Barrett has once again been left out of the 23-man squad to face Ireland, marking the third time in a row he has not been named for a test.
Fowler, who has proudly referred to Barrett as “her Beauden” since her teenage years, said the latest team naming had left her confused.
“I knew he was getting older, but I didn’t realise I would have to start preparing for a life without seeing Beauden in that jersey every week. I’ve been there from day one, following him since he first burst onto the scene with that mop of hair,” Fowler said while staring thoughtfully into the distance.
While many New Zealand rugby fans have been excited by the rise of young playmaker Ruben Love, Fowler said she respects the hype, but believes nobody can replace the man who has held her heart since his Hurricanes days.
“I get all the talk is Ruben Love, and fair enough, he’s great. But there is nothing like my Beauden Barrett,” she said. “You don’t just replace a guy who has been your favourite All Black since you were a teenager,” said Fowler, who has also followed Beauden’s wife for a number of years on Instagram just to see more of Beauden.
“Everyone has that one All Black they think is theirs. Some people have Richie, some have Dan Carter. But Beauden has always been my guy,” she concluded.
More to come.
