De Allende singles out Jordie Barrett as the rival who 'really does stand out' after three-Test battle

Damian de Allende has named Jordie Barrett the most impressive centre he has faced in the modern game, reserving special praise for the All Blacks midfielder after three Tests in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between South Africa and New Zealand.

The 101-cap Springbok acknowledged a career spent opposing some of the finest centres of his generation — Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith and Sonny Bill Williams among them — but said Barrett stands apart from the current crop. “At the moment, the one guy that really does stand out for me is Jordie Barrett,” De Allende said ahead of the fourth and final Test of the series. “I think his skill set is incredible. He’s got the ability to do everything on the field.”

De Allende, speaking before the All Blacks had named their side for the weekend, said the encounters had been more than competitive — they had been educational. “I’ve always liked to learn a lot on the field, especially playing against my opposition, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot from Jordie Barrett on the field. It’s been incredible to play against him.”

The 29-year-old Barrett has operated at centre throughout the series, lining up directly opposite De Allende in each of the opening three Tests. The Springbok described those match-ups as “a real pleasure”, adding that uncertainty over New Zealand’s selection meant he did not yet know whether a fourth meeting would follow.

De Allende also paid tribute to South African rivals from across his career, citing Frans Steyn, Andre Esterhuizen and Jan Serfontein alongside the international names he faced earlier in his Springbok tenure. The acknowledgement underlines the depth of midfield talent the veteran has encountered — and the weight of the compliment he chose to direct at Barrett.