Brodie Retallick's mammoth performance bodes well for Chiefs and All Blacks
Fears of Brodie Retallick’s demise may have been somewhat premature – if the big All Black lock’s performance against the Waratahs on Saturday afternoon is anything to go by.
Retallick had been one of New Zealand’s top performers from the time he was first called up into the national squad in 2012 until a serious shoulder injury suffered in the lead-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Retallick eventually made a return to the field during that showpiece tournament but struggled to ignite his play after so much time on the sidelines.
The 31-year-old spent the following two seasons in Japan, finally returning for the All Blacks last year, but still never looked quite up to his old standards. While no one would question Retallick’s industry or accuracy, the big plays that he was so well known for during his formative years were few and far between.
2022 loomed as an opportunity for Retallick to get back to his best with a full season of Super Rugby with the Chiefs on the cards but an injury suffered just six games into the campaign would not have helped the second-rower’s cause.
Retallick returned to the field last week against the Fijian Drua and quietly went about his business but it was against the Waratahs on Saturday that his performance would have put a smile on All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s face. The big man was instrumental in the Chiefs forwards building ascendency over their Australian counterparts, putting in one especially punishing hit on Waratahs fullback Ben Donaldson, and was carrying and passing the ball with the dominance and accuracy that everyone has come to expect.
The man himself acknowledged that it was an enjoyable game to be involved in, especially playing in front of the Hamilton faithful for just the second time since the 2019 Super Rugby season.
“It was an enjoyable win and it’s awesome to be playing finals footy in Hamilton,” Retallick said in the post-match wash-up with Sky Sport.
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“It’s a sacred ground to us, we love playing here and I think I’ve only played one game here this year and I got injured so it’s great to be back running around and get the win to move on.
“It was a lot easier playing out here tonight than it was last week in Fiji but it’s great just to be playing footy again, I’m loving it.”
The Chiefs went into the match anticipating a hefty challenge from the New South Welshman – who won zero matches last year but picked up eight victories in 2022, including securing a rare victory over the Crusaders.
“I think we knew the Waratahs were awesome defensively – I think they lead the statistics around the ruck and the breakdown so we knew we had to be tough there,” Retallick said. “That was just a great Chiefs pack performance.
“It’s play-off footy and the teams that’s most physical normally comes out on top.”
When quizzed on whether he had a preference for who the Chiefs would play in the semi-finals, Retallick indicated that a trip south would perhaps be the favourable outcome.
“I don’t think it really matters, to be fair,” he said. “We’ll play whoever we need to.
“I guess if it is the Crusaders, we’re one and one; we beat them down there, they came up here and beat us so I’d love to go down to Christchurch.”
With the Blues securing a comfortable win over the Highlanders in the Saturday evening match, the Chiefs will indeed head to Christchurch next Friday for what looms as a titanic battle full of feeling with the Crusaders.
If the Chiefs are to have any hope of securing a win, however, they’ll need to get the best out of Retallick – a man who might be coming under pressure from some of the Chiefs’ young All Blacks locks, Tupou Vaa’i and Josh Lord.
Retallick’s strong performance against the Waratahs won’t necessarily quell the suggestions that he’s lost some of his luster – it will take some back-to-back showcases to understandably silence any critics but a similar showing against the Crusaders will certainly help his cause.
With Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett also vying for locking spots down at the Crusaders and the first All Blacks squad of the season set to be named on Monday, now is the perfect time for Brodie Retallick to quickly find some blinding form – both he and the Chiefs may be depending on it.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to comments