Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Brodie Retallick poised for uniquely historic outing at Twickenham

By Ned Lester
Brodie Retallick and Ian Foster, happy with their victory over Argentina in Hamilton. Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Brodie Retallick is in line for an especially historic night when the All Black lock runs out at Twickenham this weekend, as he will not only be making his 100th appearance for the team but also breaking the record for the most experienced locking partnership in history.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Twickenham test will mark the 64th game Retallick and Sam Whitelock have started alongside one another, a partnership spanning all ten of Retallick’s years with the team.

The North Canterbury-born lock will become the twelfth All Black centurion and told the media that at this point in his career, he’s familiar with the routine and celebrations that come with the milestone.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

“There’s eleven players have done it and I’ve probably been around for nine,” Retallick said. “So I’ve seen how special it is and how cool of a moment it is for not only the player but their family so yea, looking forward to it.”

Retallick’s wife and two children will join him at Twickenham on Saturday to celebrate the occasion.

Injuries, overseas contracts and most recently a suspension have prolonged the wait to 100 caps, but along the way Retallick has racked up a remarkable resume, including the 2015 Rugby World Cup trophy and the 2014 World Rugby Player of the Year award.

“It’s certainly taken its time a little bit, at the back end compared to the first 50 but I’m proud and it’s awesome to still be here and still be able to represent the country and the jersey.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Related

Retallick and Whitelock’s partnership is poised to outlast the notorious South African pairing of Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, players Retallick says he “looked up to and saw a lot of when I was younger”.

As for the recipe for the All Blacks pairing’s success, Retallick said “it’s probably hard to put one thing.”

“I guess Sam, he’s… 140-odd games, he knows what he’s doing and he’s got a wealth of experience and I guess when I came into the team he’d been there for three or four years so I was just always trying to push him and be competitive and probably at the start, trying to take his jersey I suppose.

“In hindsight, we’ve played a lot together and I guess it’s a relationship that I cherish a lot.

“He’s a farmer and a hunter, and I don’t do too much of that these days. But we definitely get on.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“He runs the lineout, we often talk a little bit about what we’re seeing there but normally just trying to catch my breath.”

The match at hand will be the All Blacks’ final of the year and Retallick said the team were keen to round out a “rollercoaster” of a year on a positive note, by any means necessary.

“A win’s a win and you’d rather play bad and get a win than play well and lose, but we’ve been looking for some consistency.

“We’re looking to put it all together after the last couple of weeks and finish our year on a high.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Roc Nation ahead of his Kansas visit Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Roc Nation ahead of his Kansas visit
Search