Beauden Barrett Sets Fitness Record In First Blues Training Session

The Auckland Blues and New Zealand fly-half appears to have returned to rugby training in peak physical condition as shown by his personal best and record setting run in what is known as the Bronco test.

The Auckland Blues returned to training ahead of the upcoming Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign with the backs going to their Alexandra Park base in Epsom to do a fitness test.

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The Bronco test is used as a measurement of aerobic endurance, and it sees players run shuttles of 20 metres, 40 metres and 60 metres five times over as quickly as possible.

After having cleared a contactless temperature check from team doctor James McGarvey, the backs set to work.

Barrett, a player known for his quickness and turn of speed, completed the drill in four minutes and 12 seconds, which was a new club record.

The rest of the backs are clearly in fine physical form, too, as Barrett was only a couple of seconds ahead of scrum-half Jonathan Ruru, and their were eight personal best times set in the test.

“PB [personal best], mate, always happy with a PB,” a short-breathed Barrett said at the finish line. “I don’t know how much kicking I’ll be doing after this, though.”

The new Super Rugby Aotearoa will see the five New Zealand Super Rugby teams go up against each other in 10 weeks of competition. Each team will play home and away fixtures against one another.

Related: Super Rugby Aotearoa Schedule Announced

The action begins with the Highlanders welcoming the Chiefs in Dunedin on 13 June. The Blues will face the Hurricanes a day later and could see Barrett make his first appearance for the franchise, against his old team.

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