Watch: Retallick at the double as Kobe Steelers put 78 points on D-Rocks

Former All Black lock Brodie Retallick has continued his exceptional try-scoring run in the Japan Rugby League One competition, this time bagging a double against the Urasayu D-Rocks.

Kobelco Kobe Steelers came out victorious, winning comfortably 78-19, where Retallick and two other Kiwis contributed on the score sheet.

All Black vice-captain Ardie Savea missed the round eleven matchup at Komazawa Olympic Park in Tokyo, but experienced midfielder and All Black teammate, Anton Lienert-Brown, also featured in the Saturday evening drubbing.

New Zealand-born first-five Bryn Gatland was trusted to lead the team from the all-important No.10 position, where he went on to score 18 points off the boot.

Dave Rennie’s Kobe Steelers side had experienced Maori All Blacks hooker Ash Dixon to call upon, and that they did, with the former Highlanders centurion dotting down for a try in the 22nd minute.

Dixon found himself at the back of a dynamic rolling maul, where the Kobe Steelers forward pack were in no mood to muck around.

Retallick was found at the back of the lineout, and from there, the rest of the forward pack managed to dismantle the D-Rocks maul defence to score a simple five-pointer halfway through the first half.

Rennie’s side were already out to a 26-0 lead before Retallick got on the scoreboard, through tries to Dixon, Shunsuke Uenobou, Tiennan Costley and Itsuki Kamimura.

Despite being close to the sideline, Kamimura had the presence of mind to dart towards the left side of the ruck and fire a pass to Retallick, who was running a superb line.

All Retallick had to do was catch the ball and put it down, as the pass and the line ran by the 109-Test former All Black had done all of the damage.

Retallick’s second and final try of the day was even simpler than the first, catching the ball with no one in front of him close to the line.

The break started in their own half, where Gatland broke through the D-Rocks’ defence by putting a left-handed fend on the covering defender.

Gatland then linked up with Kiwi-born Michael Little, who looked like he was going to go the whole way before being stopped just short of the line.

Retallick, like he has done all the way through his career, was following in support before receiving the final pass just short of the line.

With their convincing victory on Saturday, the Kobe Steelers move to the top of the Japan Rugby League One standings, albeit with third-placed Kubota Spears with a game in hand.

The D-Rocks currently sit in ninth place with twelve points from ten games.