Beauden Barrett's quest to be the All Blacks first five-eighths is not over.
Nearing the end of his stint in Japan with Suntory, where he has played flyhalf, Barrett told world media in a Zoom hook-up that he believed he could still be better in the position that saw him twice named World Rugby's player of the year.
Japan had only heightened his desire to play in his preferred position, and he believed he was a player who could still give more to the job. Part of that resulted from some observations made to him by England coach Eddie Jones, an advisor to the Suntory team.
"He's a wealth of knowledge, he's been around, he understands rugby," he said.
The tips passed on would remain with Barrett.
"This is what is hopefully going to make me a better player so I'm going to keep it to myself, but he does offer some good value," he said.
Barrett added that in the dual playmaker system the All Blacks developed ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, he wasn't the best fullback available to the side.
He went along with the coaches because that was best for the team but, it was apparent that Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan and his brother Jordie Barrett were all performing well for their Super Rugby Aotearoa teams.
While the Japan league doesn't have the intensity of the New Zealand competition, Barrett was confident that once returned and through the quarantine process in New Zealand, he could be ready for Test rugby in the All Blacks' 2021 campaign.
The All Blacks will play Italy and Fiji in mid-year, play the Rugby Championship, and tour in the northern hemisphere later in the year.
"I'm sure that if I'm selected in this squad coming up, then through training in an All Black environment, I can get myself up to that Test match intensity," he said.
Barrett said fitness would not be an issue as there had been plenty of running around in the rugby he had played in Japan.
Lock Brodie Retallick said he had always known that returning from Japan to the physicality of forward-play in New Zealand would be a challenge.
"Physicality is a mindset rather than a physical strength or ability. I guess if the mind is hungry then it shouldn't be a problem. It might take a wee while for the body to adjust, but hopefully I can adjust quickly," he said.