When Ireland, plagued by fatigue and injuries, arrived at Eden Park in the summer of 2012 to take on the All Blacks, a young and promising lock was among the New Zealand team.
Brodie Retallick, just 20 years old at the time, was given his first Test cap by head coach Steve Hansen.
Following the celebrated 2011 World Cup victory on home ground, the renowned second-row player Brad Thorn had moved on to pursue new opportunities, including a brief tenure with Leinster.
In preparation for defending their title at the 2015 World Cup, Hansen wasted no time in starting the team’s reconstruction. He brought in the highly-regarded young Chiefs player Retallick to partner with Sam Whitelock.
New Zealand dominated Declan Kidney’s Irish squad in Auckland, setting the tone for what would become a one-sided and challenging three-match series.
Retallick quickly became one of the standout players, solidifying his role as a crucial part of the All Blacks team for years to come.
Brodie Retallick emerged as one of the success stories. He would become an integral cog in the All Blacks setup
Retallick has been tearing up trees in the Japanese Rugby League One and is currently top of the try-scoring charts with 17 tries in 17 appearances
Three years later, he would be named World Player of the Year. To this day, the teak-tough Kiwi is the only second row to achieve that prestigious honour.
After three World Cup campaigns and a whopping 109 international caps, Retallick apparently brought down the curtain on a glittering international career when he signed a deal with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers following the 2023 showpiece on French soil.
New Zealand have always been steadfast in their refusal to pick players based abroad. Retallick, who was well into this 30s at that stage, had apparently closed his door on pulling on the iconic black jersey again.
There may yet be a second chapter, however. Dave Rennie has been tasked with turning the All Blacks around after Scott Robertson’s shock sacking a few months ago.
The 62-year-old is a big fan of Retallick. He first worked with the giant second row when he was head coach of the New Zealand U20s, and he was instrumental in getting Retallick contracted to the Chiefs, where the pair also worked closely together.
Interestingly, they are now colleagues in Japan. Rennie has been running the show at the Steelers for a few years, with Retallick on the books. And he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Many elite players spend the final few years of their careers in Japan in a lower gear. A nice way to top up the post-retirement fund and experience a new culture.
Not the machine-like Retallick. He has been tearing up trees in the Japanese Rugby League One. Heck, he’s currently top of the try-scoring charts, with a staggering 17 tries in 17 appearances.
Eddie Jones, who is currently in his second spell as Japan head coach, has been mightily impressed.
‘I tell you, mate, the All Black I’d get back is Brodie Retallick,’ Jones told the DSPN podcast in February
‘You should see him play up here. 35! He’s the best player here by an absolute mile; every game is absolutely sensational,’ he remarked.
High praise, considering that Richie Mo’unga, Ardie Savea and Cheslin Kolbe are all currently plying their trade in Japan’s elite rugby competition.
Retallick’s form has been so strong that there has been a push to get him back into the All Blacks reckoning. He is set to turn 35 at the end of this month, but the former Chief is playing better than ever.
So much so that Rennie has been making moves to get Retallick back on board.
‘I get to see him train and play every week. He’s stronger than he’s ever been,’ Rennie told reporters during his first press conference as All Blacks head coach in March.
‘He’s fitter than he’s ever been. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to, but there’s no doubt you want to win a World Cup; ideally, you’ve got your best players available.
‘I think there’ll be players who earned the right to go overseas and cash in, who have committed to the country with Super Rugby and to the All Blacks, so obviously, a lot of people keep talking about Brodie.
‘I don’t know if I could talk him into coming back for a World Cup, but I’ve already mentioned it to him.’
Ultimately, the second coming of Retallick at Test level appears unlikely. It would require a seismic U-turn from New Zealand’s top brass on their overseas selection policy.
And Retallick himself recently admitted that he feels his body is no longer able to cope with the rigours of international rugby.
But would he be tempted by another adventure in a foreign land?
Retallick, as it happens, is out of contact next season. He could decide to play a few more years in Japan.
Then again, could there be another exciting chapter in Retallick’s stellar career?
Munster have been in the doldrums of late. Plagued by a succession of off-field controversies as well as a dismal European campaign, the province needs a boost.
Signing Retallick would be a massive statement of intent. Yes, the club’s financial issues have been well documented but some funds will be freed up this summer, with long-serving lock Jean Kleyn and South African flyer Thaakir Abrahams moving on to Gloucester and the Bulls, respectively.
Coincidentally, it has also freed up another NIQ (non-Irish qualified) spot in next season’s playing squad.
Retallick would be a hell of a signing. He has a good relationship with Clayton McMillan.
The Munster head coach worked alongside Retallick in his last few seasons at the Chiefs and, by all accounts, McMillan made quite the impression on the All Blacks centurion.
Munster need a player like Retallick. A genuinely world- class operator. The kind of signing which can galvanise a squad and take a playing group to the next level.
John Langford, Jim Williams, Rua Tipoki and Doug Howlett are the standard bearers when it comes to marquee signings at Thomond Park.
But Retallick has the capacity to potentially surpass all of those hallowed former icons.
For one thing, he is an acclaimed lineout technician. An area where this young Munster pack have consistently struggled. Retallick would shore up that stuttering set-piece. Quickly.
It would be hard to think of a better mentor for young, homegrown locks such as Tom Ahern, Edwin Edogbo and Evan O’Connell.
Retallick is the kind of player who would set standards, too. This is a player who never puts in a bad shift.
There’s a reason why his nickname is ‘guzzler’, a relentless competitor who always empties the tank. Again, Munster are craving a player like that.
The province have been in limbo, on and off the field, for quite some time. The entire setup is in dire need of a pick-me-up. Landing an All Blacks icon would be some statement.
And it’s a move which would make sense for everyone involved.
Retallick made a massive impression on a group of Irish players 14 years ago when he was just beginning his journey at this level.
One last rodeo with Munster? Retallick would relish it.
