Beauden Barrett: 'Ireland are a serious side and we have so much respect for them'

Barrett, 30, is in a selection battle with Richie Mo’unga to claim the out-half berth in Ian Foster’s side this Saturday at the Aviva Stadium and could revert to full-back but the Blues star admitted the thought of direct battle with Johnny Sexton, 36, added extra spice to the team rivalry.

New Zealand's Beauden Barrett

Beauden Barrett has more than one reason for wanting selection in All Blacks number 10 jersey in Dublin on Saturday but the chance to go toe-to-toe with Johnny Sexton again ranks highly among them.

Both former World Rugby players of the year, the rival fly-halves chalked up 100 Test caps for their respective countries over successive weekends, Barrett in New Zealand’s 54-16 win over Wales in Cardiff on October 30 with Sexton leading Ireland to a 60-5 victory against Japan last Saturday.