Brodie Retallick drops hint about All Blacks future after World Cup
Will he stay or will he go?
That has been the question surrounding Brodie Retallick’s future as the All Blacks‘ post-World Cup exodus begins to ramp up.
There have been a raft of New Zealand internationals signing deals with offshore clubs from 2020 onwards, with Kieran Read (Toyota Verblitz), Ben Smith (Pau), Owen Franks (Northampton), Liam Squire (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes), Waisake Naholo (London Irish), Nehe Milner-Skudder (Toulon), Jackson Hemopo (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Luke Whitelock (Pau), Jordan Taufua (Leicester Tigers), Matt Proctor (Northampton) and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Wasps) all securing their futures in Europe or Japan after this year’s World Cup.
Rumours have been circulating of Retallick joining them, with the 75-test veteran yet to commit to either New Zealand Rugby or an overseas team with just eight months left on his existing contract with NZR.
The 27-year-old lock was linked with a switch to Premiership side Sale Sharks earlier this year, but shot down speculation of such a move on social media, posting: “No one thought to ask but no I’m not going to be playing for Sale … Not that I know off [sic] anyway.”
Since then, murmurings have arisen of reigning Japanese Top League champions Kobe Steelers chasing his signature in a move which would see him link up with former World Cup-winning All Blacks teammate Dan Carter.
That transfer could come in the form of a sabbatical move as leading All Blacks look to cash in on the Top League’s ‘double season’, when two seasons will be held within one year in 2020 as a result of a clash in scheduling with the World Cup in Japan.
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However, following the Chiefs’ emphatic 56-20 win over the Bulls in Pretoria over the weekend, Retallick suggested his future lay with the All Blacks.
Speaking to Sport24, the 2014 World Player of the Year said he felt he had more to offer to the All Blacks as he approaches his second World Cup campaign.
“In terms of my post-World Cup future, I’m not too sure yet and I’m still sort of working through that,” he said.
“At the conclusion of the World Cup, I will be 28-years-old and I would like to think that I still have something to offer the All Black jersey, but I have to work it [my future] out and see how it looks.
“I have been a part of the All Blacks for a while now and it’s been great. It was always a big goal of mine to make the All Blacks, and with the World Cup being at the back end of the year in Japan, it’s pretty big.”
While maintaining that his sole focus for the time being is with the Chiefs – whose win in South Africa was their first of the year after a five-match winless run to open their campaign – Retallick was mindful of the excessive loss of talent and experience the All Blacks were set to concede at the end of the year.
The departure of captain Kieran Read was a particularly significant blow, but Retallick was confident that the All Blacks would be able to find a sufficient replacement.
“Kieran has been around for a long time and is certainly both a great player and leader, so there is definitely going to be a void there,” he said.
“But what New Zealand rugby prides itself on is that when someone steps away, it’s an opportunity for someone else to fill the void and stamp their mark on the black jersey.
“I’m sure that there are some young boys already wanting to step into the jersey when Kieran and a few others opt to go post-World Cup.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments