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
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
4 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments