Retallick: Whitelock loss 'not a massive adjustment'

MISSING PARTNER: All Blacks Brodie Retallick with Ireland’s Robbie Henshaw and Tadhg Beirne. ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Brodie Retallick has dismissed the impact of second-row partner Sam Whitelock’s absence from the second Test against Ireland as “not a massive adjustment”.

Whitelock has been ruled out of the clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium having presented with a delayed-onset concussion following New Zealand’s 42-19 First Test victory in Auckland last Saturday, with the All Blacks moving Scott Barrett back to lock from his first-Test role at blindside flanker with Dalton Papalii coming off the bench and into the back row to cover the position shift.