Beauden Barrett says being named All Blacks captain 'a knot in your gut' moment

Beauden Barrett has had many landmark achievements in a lengthy New Zealand career but the veteran full-back said being told he will captain his country in a Test for the first time was "one of those knots in your gut" moments.

The 35-year-old's 149th international, against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, has been made extra special by the fact Barrett will lead the side out at the Principality Stadium as the All Blacks look to remain unbeaten in the inaugural Nations Championship.

New Zealand's starting side also includes Barrett's older brother Scott, himself a former All Blacks captain.

Jordie Barrett, another brother, featured at centre in New Zealand's 43-21 win over Scotland in Edinburgh but has been left out entirely by Dave Rennie after the All Blacks coach made 10 changes to his match-day 23.

"It's a great honour," Beauden Barrett said Friday of the captaincy.

"I've had the honour before in a game, a match against the Barbarians at Twickenham, but doing it in a Test match in a stadium like this in Wales, such a proud nation...a great opportunity for me, but one that I'm very proud of."

Given how much interaction between a captain and a referee arises from forward battles such as the scrum, line-out and breakdown, modern coaches will often appoint a member of the pack as their skipper rather than someone as far removed from all this action as a full-back.

But Barrett added: "I'm not going to try and do anything that I haven't already. It's about having that relationship with the referee at 15 (full-back).

"There's a bit of distance there, so how I manage that, I might be doing a few more extra shuttles. But I've got great support around me.

"We've got a good structure around who will lead the forwards, and with (fly-half) Richie Mo'unga being a bit closer to things and so on, as I said, we've got a good plan."

Barrett, reflecting on his reaction to Rennie's decision to appoint him captain, said: "I straight away had one of those knots in your gut when you get told something that puts you on the edge of your seat."

But he also had plenty of family support.

"He (Scott) is super, super stoked (for me)," said Beauden. "He's really enjoying the role he's playing on this team at the moment, and so is Jordie."