Barrett got his handy cue to leave, his media duties done at their captains run in the more intimate surroundings of the college ground rather than the usual eve-of-game setting at the Aviva Stadium.
The All Blacks did their final session before tomorrow’s blockbuster test match with Ireland in front of dozens of their supporters at the Bowl including the father of the three Barrett brothers, Kevin ‘Smiley’ Barrett.
There is a strong Irish connection in the Barrett family who spent 15 months living in Oldcastle, Co Meath in the early 2000s.
Kevin managed a farm and also played rugby with Buccaneers RFC in Athlone. That link with rugby in Ireland will continue when his son Jordie will join Leinster on a six-month contract beginning next month.
And it was Jordie who famously held up the effort of Rónan Kelleher as Ireland pressed for a late try in their World Cup quarter-final defeat at the Stade de France last year.
Ireland v New Zealand: Caelan Doris press conference
His brother Scott expects tomorrow’s meeting to go down to the final play again: “We certainly know it’s going to be an 80-minute effort.
“We’ve seen some great matches in the past, often going past the 80 minutes so we’ve certainly touched on how big the occasion is playing Ireland at home.”
Ireland have won five of their last nine games with the All Blacks which helps make this a modern grudge match.
“Yeah, I guess there’s always a lot at stake. And even more so against Ireland who potentially have had some success over us in past years. This team is certainly going to show up tomorrow night,” Barrett added.
“I guess there’s a lot of feeling. It’s test match rugby and two teams that really want to get a result so at times emotions can boil over. You just got to be accurate with your game and not after the whistle.
“Two teams that play a similar game. It’s going to be intense. Ireland have been right up there, not just the last few years I think, for the last 10 years they’ve been leading the way in a lot of areas.
“Us as All Blacks we like to be in the picture in terms of the world number one so that’s a crown they’ve got at the moment. Yeah, we want to play them at home.”
New Zealand go into this game following their 24-22 win over England at Twickenham last Saturday, a victory that Barrett believes will stand to them.
“It’s a great confidence booster but underneath all that we certainly know that we’re going to have to be better this week,” he said.
“I think this northern tour for us is huge for where we are as an All Black team. It was a tough game last week and it’s probably going to be even tougher this week.
“What more can you want playing Ireland at home?”
Friday night lights, first rematch since that World Cup thriller and Barrett is expecting a hot atmosphere at a sold-out Aviva Stadium particularly with the recent spat between Rieko Ioane and Johnny Sexton adding more spice to the occasion.
“I guess it’s the nature of coming up north. We were at Twickenham last week and the atmosphere was amazing so it’s perfect preparation for this week. Similar hostility. Just a different team that poses different threats. That’s what we love as All Blacks: playing the best at home.”
And does it fire Barrett up knowing the All Blacks are slight underdogs for this game?
“Ah yeah, what more can you want playing Ireland at home. Yeah, full stop,” he said.
That siren call is heard loud and clear.
