All Blacks legend Mils Muliaina believes a shift to full-back will help Blues fly-half Beauden Barrett regain his confidence after he delivered some underwhelming performances in Super Rugby Pacific of late.

On Saturday, Barrett made uncharacteristic errors in his team’s 20-13 defeat to the Chiefs in Hamilton and came off second best in his direct duel with the home side’s fly-half, Damian McKenzie.

Not the first time Barrett is overshadowed

It’s not the first time that the Blues playmaker was overshadowed by a rival for the All Blacks‘ number 10 jersey as Richie Mo’unga won the fly-half battle when the Crusaders clinched a 34-28 win in Auckland last month.

Muliaina feels swapping Barrett‘s position with the Blues’ current full-back Stephen Perofeta will help the men from Auckland and benefit Barrett.

“I know it worked for them last year, the fact that he was at 10 and Perofeta was at the back,” Muliaina said on The Breakdown.

“[But] he lacks confidence. You don’t see that in a great player like Beauden Barrett.

“He’s still great in terms of how he’s playing, but he kind of just seems off beat; a little bit confused about what he’s going to actually do. And that’s had a ripple effect on the team.”

Barrett played mostly at full-back for the All Blacks in 2022, with Mo’unga the first choice fly-half.

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Although Barrett has started most of this year’s matches at fly-half for the Blues, he has not hit peak form yet. Muliaina, who wore the number 15 jersey in most of his 100 Tests, said it’s time for Blues head coach Leon MacDonald to move the 31-year-old to full-back.

“Watching him, it just feels like he’s now thinking he’s a full-back,” he said of Barrett. “When you are a full-back you take a little bit more time, you are not as assertive in that sort of playmaker role. Perofeta has actually taken that on too. Now he’s gone a little bit quiet.

“They are unsure, almost like when you started that whole 10 or 15 two playmaker roles — and it’s now got to the point for the Blues, unfortunately. You kind of feel that for their playmaker and they have lost their direction. I definitely think perhaps that’s something they really need to consider.”

Meanwhile, McKenzie, who can also play at fly-half or full-back, is thriving at number 10 and has played a leading role for the table-topping Chiefs, who have won all six of their Super Rugby Pacific matches so far.

Mo’unga still first choice fly-half

Despite his fine form, Muliaina believes Mo’unga should still be New Zealand’s first choice number 10 but sees McKenzie and Barrett also featuring in an All Blacks matchday 23.

“Mo’unga for me is still our All Blacks starter,” he added. “D-Mac’s a 10-15. So that’s an easy slot-in off the bench.

“I think Beauden now is our full-back. I think Beauden starts at full-back and then becomes a 10 option. I think that is where he is starting feel a little bit like ‘what am I actually doing?’”