Brodie Retallick to make injury return in Ranfurly Shield defence
While Brodie Retallick won’t feature for the All Blacks in Christchurch this weekend, the former World Rugby Player of the Year could be back on deck for the national side next weekend following a broken cheekbone suffered in July.
Retallick bore the No 4 jersey in all three of New Zealand’s Tests with Ireland to kick off their international campaign this year but took a blow to the head from opposition prop Andrew Porter in the third match of the series.
While Porter spent 10 minutes in the sin bin for the collision, Retallick’s night came to a premature end and the 31-year-old was initially expected to spend up to eight weeks on the sidelines.
This weekend, however – five weeks after the initial injury – Retallick will suit up for Hawke’s Bay as they look to defend the Ranfurly Shield against North Harbour. If the lumbering second-rower comes through the match unscathed, he could potentially make a return to the Test arena against Los Pumas in Hamilton next Saturday.
Retallick, who made his provincial debut for Hawke’s Bay as a 19-year-old in 2010, has notched up just 12 appearances for the Magpies throughout his professional career due to the NPC season overlapping with the Test calendar. As such, it’s been over a decade since Retallick last featured in the black and white hoops.
Hawke’s Bay already boast a strong squad without Retallick’s inclusion, but adding a senior All Black to the mix will undoubtedly further push the odds in their favour as they look to defend the Ranfurly Shield against a North Harbour side that haven’t held the fabled Log of Wood since 2006, when the likes of Rua Tipoki, Viliame Waqaseduadua and Luke McAlister pulled the rug out from under Canterbury in Christchurch.
Retallick will join a forward pack boasting the talents of Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tyrone Thompson, Marino Mikaele-Tu’u and Devan Flanders while former All Black Brad Weber – who will naturally still harbour a desire to force his way back into the national squad in time for the Rugby World Cup – will lead a backline that includes Lincoln McClutchie, Danny Toala and Chase Tiatia.
On the opposite side of the park, captain and first five-eighth Bryn Gatland has been in superb form off the tee for North Harbour and will undoubtedly prove crucial in their attempt to pull the wool over a Magpies side that have looked somewhat down on form this year after making the Premership semi-finals last season.
In 2022, Hawke’s Bay have managed a narrow victory over Countie Manukau, a draw with Waikato and a loss at the hands of Otago while last weekend scoring a big win over Manawatu. Although Harbour opened their season with a loss to Auckland, they have looked strong in their two most recent performance, getting the better of Tasman and Manawatu.
It’s hard to imagine a situation where all eyes aren’t on Brodie Retallick on Saturday afternoon, however, with the big lock now facing the task of unseating Scott Barrett in the All Blacks second row when he does find himself back to full fitness.
In Retallick’s absence, Barrett and Sam Whitelock have carried their impressive Super Rugby partnership into the Test arena while Tupou Vaa’i had earned a handful of minutes off the bench.
Saturday’s Ranfurly Shield clash between Hawke’s Bay and North Harbour is set to kick off at 2:05pm NZT from McLean Park on Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept 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.
36 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
36 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
36 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.
36 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
36 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.
36 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.
2 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.
36 Go to comments