No one has personified the shaky, under-pressure Wallabies more this week than besieged playmaker Berrick Barnes.
But the scrutinised five-eighth looked anything but Australia’s fifth-choice No.10 as he played a key role in Saturday night’s 27-19 first Test win over Wales.
With the play-making cupboard almost bare, it was crucial Barnes stood up at the start of the three-Test series at Suncorp Stadium, and he did that five days after Tuesday night’s shock 9-6 loss to Scotland.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans praised Barnes’ mental strength to rebound from his own seven-match winless streak and predicted he’d thrive in what shapes as an entertaining and closely-fought series.
After steering the NSW Waratahs’ ship for six straight Super Rugby defeats, the 26-year-old copped plenty of blame for failure against the Scots in his first international start at five-eighth.
But Barnes struck a slick halves combination with man-of-the-match Will Genia on Saturday night, kicking and passing with accuracy and purpose, and showing true playmaking nous.
His smarts were shown best with a quick, long kick for touch from a second-half ruck penalty which caught the Welsh on the hop and led to his 51st-minute drop goal for a 20-6 lead.
Few were more pleased with Barnes’ performance and resolve than Deans who required his back-up No.10 to stand up at the start of the series.
With creative sparks Quade Cooper (knee) and James O’Connor (lacerated liver) sidelined and Kurtley Beale (shoulder) only a slight chance to return in the second half of the series, it was crucial for Australia’s series hopes that Barnes found form and confidence.
“He played very well,” Deans said on Sunday.
“I’ve got no doubt he will have enjoyed that because he’s a bloke that’s taken a lot of heat, a lot of scrutiny.
“But, as I said during the week, he’s a tough kid.
“He kept coming on, didn’t back off, didn’t withdraw from some of those demands and challenges and that’s a great sign.
“As we get more clarity around the group, that will help him even further.”
Centre Pat McCabe, who scythed through for the match-clinching try, said the two halves soaked up the pressure from the Scottish debacle throughout the preparations to lead the way.
“I thought (Genia) and Barnesy were great all week,” he said. “They were really clear about what we wanted to do out there and and they were the same out on the field.”
An unavowed fan of McCabe’s, Deans also paid credit to the strong-running No.12 for his own leadership within the backline in just his 12th Test.