The Sharks first-choice inside centre Bradley Barritt spoke to rugby365.com’s Nick Pawson about his pending move to Premiership club Saracens, and the implications it poses on his “international” career.
Standing at 186cm and weighing in at 95kg, the Sharks’ “midfield marshall” is currently playing out his last Currie Cup season in South Africa, before heading to the United Kingdom (UK) to join Eddie Jones’ Saracens on a three-year contract, as well as furthering his studies.
This is not Barritt’s first invite from abroad either, having been approached by Bath University in 2004 to study and play rugby, as well as being invited to an England Under-19 training camp.
The question now arises – with Barritt being eligible for England selection on the grounds of his UK ancestry – whether his move has been motivated by the prospect of earning international honours.
“My primary goal is to go and improve as player,” Barritt told rugby365.com in an exclusive interview.
“If the Springboks were to call me back I would certainly take the opportunity, I would cherish that day.
“Obviously I’ve got to go over there and play myself into the Saracens mould, and become part of their team.
“But if any opportunity [to play for England] arises, it’s also a possibility.”
Ironically, a former school-mate of his did just that. Matt Stevens, who also attended Kearsney College, moved to the UK in 2002 to pursue his studies abroad whilst playing rugby for Bath – which subsequently led to a national call-up, and a secured berth within the England squad since 2003.
Without being too presumptuous, Barritt’s abrasive presence in the midfield might be just what England are looking for – while his physical stature outweighs the likes of Jamie Noon, Toby Flood and even new England signing, Ricky Flutey.
More importantly, the 22-year-old Sharks centre has age on his side.
While some might see cash-laden overseas clubs disrupting the natural progression of South Africa’s young talent, as far as Springbok selection is concerned, players like Barritt merely see it as an opportunity to test themselves within a different rugby culture.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to go overseas and test myself,” Barritt said of his new venture with Saracens.
“I think the English league is packed with talent now, it’s a great spectacle in terms of judging yourself.”
The new Saracens coach – who played a key assistant role alongside Jake White during South Africa’s successful World Cup [RWC] campaign last year – might also be the perfect mentor for the young No.12, who holds the Australian in the highest regard.
“I’m really looking forward to working with him [Eddie Jones],” said Barritt.
“Speaking to the guys at the Sharks who were involved with the Springboks [at the 2007 RWC] said he had a huge impact, and his knowledge of the game is great.
“I’ll really enjoy playing under him so in that regard, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Nonetheless, Barritt’s primary focus for now was with his beloved home union, as the log-leading Sharks have put themselves in the best possible position to take Currie Cup honours in 2008.
“At the moment I’m 100 percent concentrated on the Sharks, and trying to win the Currie Cup.
“When that opportunity arises [playing at Saracens] I’ll be 100 percent into that, but at the moment my focus is definitely still here,” Barritt added.
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It is definitely so clear that he wants to play for England.
Barritt and Eddie Jones????? Birds of a feather???? 😆 😆 😆
Go for it dude..If England want you the good on ya.
Just means Rob will most probably start supporting the English Rose.
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 3) :
I can send him a few of my jerseys to try on so that he can see if the colour suits him 😉
Rob is already supporting Saracencs 🙁
If he does get capped by the Poms it will be a real shame.
He is definitely good enough to play for the Boks.
@wpw (Comment 5) :
And this will probably piss a few people off. Being good enough to play for the Boks is one thing, having at least two players who are better than him ahead of him in the pecking order is a completely different thing though.
JdV, Jaque Fourie as definite and then an in form Steyn. (Forget I mentioned Steyn or else we will go around the Steyn/Barritt for 12 saga again 😉 )
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) :
To put it in one line:
You don’t need to be good enough to be a Bok, you need to be the best in SA
@KSA Shark © (Comment 7) : Fourie doesn’t play 12
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) :
I agree.
And thats not even considering the players who will come through next year or the year after. Players who hopefully will not even consider playing for any another country a “possibility”.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) :
I think he could have possibly played for the Boks while Jake the Snake was coach.
Meisiekind and Julies were not all that flash while playing for the Boks.
@wpw (Comment 10) :
Yeah but at that stage Steyn WAS flash.
I don’t believe Steyn is better than him at the moment but when he was in the 2007 Bok team he was in much better form than Barritt at the time.
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
I actually thought he could, have just looked, he has never worn the Bok 12. 😯
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) :
Lets go back a year. In 2006 he was good enough don’t you think?
Oh, and Steyn was NEVER in the RWC squad as centre cover. That’s why Wynie Olivier was there wasn’t it???
the big question is, will the boks give him a call up for the end of year b-side tour where talk is doing the rounds that the big names will be rested? by doing this they make him a bok and in effect rule him out of playing for any other country. this would be the mean thing to do, but not beneath the boks.
@wpw (Comment 13) :
No I don’t think he was good enough in 2006 at all. 🙁
I think Steyn was there as Center cover, after all that IS where he covered when JdV was injured, isn’t it? As to why WO was there i don’t know but Steyn DID cover at 12.
@Big Fish (Comment 9) :
Was fishing for my favourite seafood treat – Robicus Ottocus.
Need to be more wily next time. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 15) :
And yet Steyn never played at centre for the Boks before the RWC???
@Big Fish (Comment 16) : Tee hee. Saw it coming a long way off
@robdylan (Comment 18) :
Definitely smarter than you look then.
@wpw (Comment 17) :
Ssdly, cant say the same for you. 😈
@wpw (Comment 17) :
I wouldn’t say NEVER so easily. 😉
25 Aug 2007 Inside Centre, Scotland, Win: 27-3 Murrayfield,
Go to: http://www.genslin.us/bokke/
click on 2007
click on a match
click on Steyn’s name and it will list his entire Bok history for you.
Look it is simple to me. He played Inside center at the RWC after the 1st choice guy got injured so he covered inside center at the RWC.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) :
You such a smart ass!!! 👿
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : u have WAY too much time on your hands Oubaas. 😆
@wpw (Comment 21) :
BIG smart arse, please! 😆
@wpw (Comment 21) :
Ek is nie net ‘n “gat”, nie ek is a “Groot Gat”.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : Bigger then Kimberly’s ❓ 🙄
it will be interesting though to see barritt and steyn facing eachother on the 22 november and barritt giving frans a snot klap. barritt won’t have to worry about being tackle either cos frans only tackles from behind. and butch and morne steyn don’t tackle, they bounce. and then we will se brad here again next year playing against the sharks in the lions team.
@try time (Comment 26) :
How did Fransie perform at 13 last week???
I didn’t watch the game… 🙄
@wpw (Comment 27) : he missed a big tackle on wynand that led to a the first try. he missed another one later that wasn’t as crucial. the bulls seemed to break our backline easier when barritt had to go off. so to be honest i wasn’t too impressed. but i will reserve judgement as he hasn’t played much rugby in the last two months. wynand has started all season so he is at his peak.
Steyn didn’t miss the tackle, Barritt left his man wide open and Steyn had to leave his man wide open to come save Brad’s ass. Unfortunately by then it was to late, sure it was a bad tackle, but it was never his to make, barrit went for the guy on his inside instead of keeping an eye on his man, why don’t you have a look at that try again.
Barritt was good enough to play for the boks at one stage, but to get a place in the bok team you have to persist with that good form. His 22 or 23 and already giving up on trying, he never really wanted it badly enough.
from Sharksrugby.co.za…
“…Brad Barritt will not play this weekend after taking a blow at a tackle but this opens the door for either Waylon Murray or Adi Jacobs to partner Francois Steyn in the midfield … “
Oh my word. Steyn has more fans than Jacob Zuma.
Maybe I should not have mentioned a politician’s name on this site.
Feel free to remove my comment Moderators. 😳
anyone in??
The guy just wants to play rugby at the highest level possible. Looking at some of the players picked over the last few years as stop gaps and you would really have thought if’d have received a cap by now. You can’t blame a guy for considering other options. I bet if’d jump at the chance of a bok cap but equally at a chance of an england cap should the bok one not be forth-coming.
Unfortuneately Brad Barrit seems prone to injury for someone so young.
@wpw (Comment 32) :
In future when refering to him(the politician) you can use the term Mr Lovepants.
This is another article that keeps popping up…
We get it…Barritt is going to the UK.
@Salmonoid (Comment 36) : what did i just start??? 😯
Rob is gonna be so pissed off.
Did I ever tell you okes that Rob is the bestest website owner in the whole wide weréld???
@blackshark – (Well done Serena!) (Comment 37) : One day he’s gonna captain England and become Captain Steyn’s No.1 enemy. We’ve seen it all before…
@wpw (Comment 38) :
“Did I ever tell you okes that Rob is the bestest website owner in the whole wide weréld???”
Is that because he has become an absent website manager – “as die kat weg is ……..”
Who knows, maybe even PakiStan will put in an appearance here.
@wpw (Comment 38) : Whole Wide World or World Wide Web ??? 😆
Rob is so awesome!!!
I am always around, you silly chaps 🙂
PakiStan, bwaahaaa – I feel as if my personal space has been violated. 😉
hey rob cannot moan about shower heads name being mentioned on the site, he has an ad on that has taboos supposed iq on. maybe he should put a picture of wynand on and a saying “wynands iq is 5, bet you can beat it!”
@Salmonoid (Comment 44) :
Dictator is all i’m gonna say… 🙄
@try time (Comment 45) : What?