The danger signals started flashing when this article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald. Berrick Barnes was being hailed as the next Messiah - the second coming of Noddy.
Of course even the original messiah (admittedly depending on who you talk to) wasn't recognised as such until after he rose from the dead. Not only has Berrick Barnes not performed any miracles yet, he hasn't even had the chance to prove that he's just a naughty boy.
The big concern is that Berrick Barnes is the new wonder kid after just 28 minutes against Japan while back in Australia former wonder kid Kurtley Beale must feel all washed-up and ignored at the age of 20 despite winning man-of-the-match after man-of-the-match award in the Australian Rugby Championship.
Even John Connolly admitted that Barnes was only selected for the World Cup squad based on his 2006 Super 14 form which is strange considering how well his Queensland Reds did that season (they finished 12th). Meanwhile Kurtley Beale, Lachlan Turner, Josh Holmes and Totafu Polata-Nau starred for the Junior Wallabies, or Joeys or whatever they're called when they won the Rugby Under 20 World Cup. None of them was good enough for the real thing yet league-convert Barnes, who earlier in the year threatened (or at least was rumored) to return to Rugby League, made the squad.
Now the Rolling Maul isn't one for conspiracy theories - actually that's not true, JFK was shot by aliens who escaped from a hangar in Nevada before moving to Paris and causing Princess Diana's car to crash - but with Kurtley Beale contracted to the Waratahs for the next few years it doesn't stretch the imagination to contemplate the Wallaby hierarchy 'investing' for the future by showing Barnes what he could be missing out on.
That doesn't explain the glowing report card from his cameo against Japan though. That's just desperation and wishful-thinking from a coach who knows his teams chances hinge on one player staying upright for the entire tournament.
Of course even the original messiah (admittedly depending on who you talk to) wasn't recognised as such until after he rose from the dead. Not only has Berrick Barnes not performed any miracles yet, he hasn't even had the chance to prove that he's just a naughty boy.
The big concern is that Berrick Barnes is the new wonder kid after just 28 minutes against Japan while back in Australia former wonder kid Kurtley Beale must feel all washed-up and ignored at the age of 20 despite winning man-of-the-match after man-of-the-match award in the Australian Rugby Championship.
Even John Connolly admitted that Barnes was only selected for the World Cup squad based on his 2006 Super 14 form which is strange considering how well his Queensland Reds did that season (they finished 12th). Meanwhile Kurtley Beale, Lachlan Turner, Josh Holmes and Totafu Polata-Nau starred for the Junior Wallabies, or Joeys or whatever they're called when they won the Rugby Under 20 World Cup. None of them was good enough for the real thing yet league-convert Barnes, who earlier in the year threatened (or at least was rumored) to return to Rugby League, made the squad.
Now the Rolling Maul isn't one for conspiracy theories - actually that's not true, JFK was shot by aliens who escaped from a hangar in Nevada before moving to Paris and causing Princess Diana's car to crash - but with Kurtley Beale contracted to the Waratahs for the next few years it doesn't stretch the imagination to contemplate the Wallaby hierarchy 'investing' for the future by showing Barnes what he could be missing out on.
That doesn't explain the glowing report card from his cameo against Japan though. That's just desperation and wishful-thinking from a coach who knows his teams chances hinge on one player staying upright for the entire tournament.
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