All Blacks: Retallick's return big boost for the engine-room

Brodie Retallick of the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images

As Steve Hansen plots the response to an All Black loss for only the second time as head coach, the return of one player is likely to gladden his heart.

Brodie Retallick's comeback from the concussion which ruled him out of the 27-25 defeat to the Springboks in Johannesburg will help fix some of the problems which put the All Blacks on the back foot for much of the first half at Ellis Park.

The pack put in a subdued performance in those early stages and it helped the fired-up Boks gain a foot-hold on a test they were desperate to win. Hansen's men had issues with not only their lineout but also the breakdown, two areas of expertise for the man known as Guzzler, who has more elements to his game than a Swiss Army knife. Tonight's test at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane will be his 100th first-class game.

Jeremy Thrush, who filled in for Retallick a fortnight ago and also for Sam Whitelock when a rib injury ruled the Crusaders player out of the narrow victory over the Boks in Wellington, has probably exceeded expectations, but few can match Retallick for the pressure he can put on the opposition lineout, cleanout ability, and his uncanny expertise in setting up attack from phase play.

The 23-year-old Retallick's statistics are impressive enough by themselves but his presence on the field also reaps intangible benefits. With the Chiefs player creating his unique brand of mayhem, colleagues such as Whitelock and Kieran Read have the confidence to roam wider where they can create opportunities for the backs with their handling skills and awareness of space.

Also, no statistics can measure how hard Retallick hits bodies threatening to slow the All Blacks' ball, or the timing of a pass.

In terms of the numbers, Retallick easily made the most passes and beat the most defenders in the Rugby Championship for locks. He also made close to the most metres, carries, tackles and turnovers.

The lineout numbers are revealing because while he and Whitelock work well together - and in particular when pilfering the opposition ball with six steals between them in the championship - they are not the leading ball winners for the All Blacks. That honour belongs to No8 Read, who, with 27 takes, has won more lineout ball than Retallick and Whitelock put together.

As Hansen looks for an improved performance from his team, he only needs to look back a few tests to see how they can respond to a setback. The All Blacks were poor in their first Bledisloe Cup test in Sydney in August, a match in which they couldn't find their groove and eventually scrambled to a 12-all draw.

What followed at Eden Park a week later, after a few home truths behind closed doors, was a shock and awe performance in which even the normally clinical Richie McCaw was carried along by the collective aggression and willingness to put things right.

With Retallick back on board the All Blacks have the perfect weapon to launch a similar assault.

Key locks

Brodie Retallick
2014 Rugby Championship appearances: 5; Minutes: 364; Carries: 30; Defenders beaten: 5; Passes: 39; Tackles: 44; Turnovers won: 6; Lineouts won: 10.

Sam Whitelock
Appearances: 5; Minutes: 347; Carries: 23; Defenders beaten: 3; Passes: 14; Tackles: 56; Turnovers won: 2; Lineouts won: 12.