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All Blacks centurion Retallick set to leave New Zealand rugby - report

(Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

All Blacks centurion Brodie Retallick will play his final test in the coveted black jersey at this year’s World Cup, according to a report out of New Zealand.

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As reported by Stuff, the star lock will return to his old Japanese club Kobelco Kobe Steelers on a three-year deal.

Since making his international debut against Ireland in 2012, Retallick has become a mainstay of the All Blacks’ matchday squads; soaring to legendary status throughout his decorated career.

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To this day, Retallick is the only second-rower in history to win World Rugby’s Men’s 15s Player of the Year, having been recognised for his sensational 2014 campaign in black.

When it’s all said and done, the World Cup winner will go down in history as one of the greatest second rowers in the history of the game – alongside the likes of Colin Meades and Martin Johnson.

While Retallick has previously suggested that 2023 will be his final campaign at test level, the news will undoubtedly come as a major blow to New Zealand rugby.

“I haven’t put anything in concrete,” Retallick told Stuff in June.

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“I probably couldn’t see myself going another four years to try and do another World Cup (after 2023).

“So we’ll wait and see what happens. I haven’t made any definite plans yet, but we’ll weigh it up next year.”

If rumours are to be believed, then season could be quite entertaining for fans of the Kobe Steelers and Japanese rugby.

According to The Roar earlier this month, former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie was close to signing with the Japanese for after the World Cup.

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Rennie is of course a free agent at the moment, after he was sensationally axed as the Wallabies’ head coach on Monday morning.

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Comments

2 Comments
J
Jmann 654 days ago

All the best to Brodie as he plays out his career in NZ's retirement league up in Japan

N
Northandsouth 655 days ago

Is it not Journalism 101 to include a players age in an article about them headed off shore towards the end of his career? Or did the fact he will turn 33 before the first All Blacks test of the next world cup cycle seem inconvenient to your desire to overstate the significance of this news?

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AM 41 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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