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.

Head coach Ian Foster admitted that the All Blacks’ set-piece would be affected by the enforced change with Papalii not seen as a similar lineout threat to the previous selection of three locks when Barrett was in the back row and Ireland were put under huge pressure on their own ball, turning over four lineouts and also losing possession soon after a fifth.

Yet Retallick, who will take over the lineout leadership in Whitelock’s absence, said on Thursday: “It is not a massive adjustment; we just shift a bit in the lineout, it is similar enough around the field. We will try and keep things a bit simple.

“So far our lineout (defence) hasn’t been too bad. We obviously know it is a starter for them where they try and build things off the back of their lineout; we are really trying to put some pressure on them in the air there. It’s a challenge (off our own ball) with Peter (O’Mahony) there (defending) at six so we’ve just got to chuck it a bit higher.

“It is another major for us at lineout and scrum.” Retallick was asked to comment about Ronan O’Gara’s assertion in his Irish Examiner column published on Thursday, that Whitelock’s absence was worth 10-15 points for Ireland.

“He is a good player, isn’t he?” Retallick said of his fellow lock. “He is the second most-capped All Black now so that is a wealth of experience.

“But I guess I will answer that on Saturday after the game.” Blindside Papalii, meanwhile, was succinct in his appraisal of the role he will be asked to play in a position he has not really played much for the Blues this season.

“The role of a six, in my opinion, is more of a hitman, so I have just got to try and smack someone early on,” the flanker said. “I’m going to add my flavour to the jersey early on, go out there and do my job. I’ve got to do that first and then maybe get a few hits like Guzzler (Retallick) does.”