Rugby: Brodie Retallick on unusual injuries, rare match for Hawke's Bay and road back to All Blacks

Brodie Retallick has been on the sidelines after suffering a facial injury in the third test against Ireland. Photo / Photosport

Brodie Retallick just wants to get some consistent playing time.

After taking a sabbatical in Japan, his Super Rugby return for the Chiefs this year was interrupted when he broke his thumb five rounds into the season. The injury kept him out for a couple of months and limited him to half of the Chiefs' 16 games.

His season at the test level has followed a similar path. Retallick featured in all three of the All Blacks' test against Ireland but a broken cheekbone suffered in the final fixture required surgery.

This weekend, Retallick is set to make his return to the field at the provincial level, expected to run out for Hawke's Bay in their Ranfurly Shield defence against North Harbour on Saturday in Napier.

Speaking to the Herald, Retallick admitted it had been a frustrating year, but said getting some game time was vital if he's to rejoin the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship bid in the coming weeks.

"It's definitely a bit frustrating, especially injuries you can't control. I broke my thumb just making a regular tackle and the cheekbone was just through a carry." Retallick said.

"I guess those injuries are not necessarily one-offs but they're also not your run-of-the-mill rugby injuries. It's definitely frustrating, but I guess it maybe comes with being slightly older and getting on in my career.

"I was just starting to get some games under my belt when the cheek happened. So, I'm just looking to get some game time and some consistency, then hopefully the rest takes care of itself."

This weekend's clash will be his first for Hawke's Bay since 2012, and just his second appearance in a Ranfurly Shield match. His only other taste of Shield rugby was in a failed challenge against Taranaki in 2011 — one of two matches he played for the province that year.

His return comes a week earlier than expected. After undergoing surgery, he was given a timeline of about six weeks before he was up to playing again — a timeline that expires on Sunday.

With Hawke's Bay playing on Saturday, he was given clearance to play in the match and has been working towards a return to the physical side of the sport — although it is unlikely he will work at full contact until the match.

"I haven't taken a full whack to the face to test it but I guess you don't normally get that in a game of rugby. So, we're doing as much as possible to get the confidence back this week before the game on Saturday.

"It's probably something that I can't worry about too much. There's obviously a little hesitation this week at training — especially in the first couple of lineouts I was like 'imagine if I get whacked in the face by the jumper' — but I'll get all of that hesitation out of the way this week at training so I can just go out and play on Saturday afternoon and not have to worry about it."