What a sight...the epitomy of All Black forward might. Photo / Photosport
What a sight...the epitomy of All Black forward might. Photo / Photosport
Arise Brodie Retallick, and accept your place in the pantheon.
He certainly rose on in Sydney on Saturday night, to heights almost unimaginable.
The All Blacks lock is the best test forward I've seen, bar none, from any country. His performance in Bledisloe One on Saturday night was an epic.
Not that the final scoreline indicated this, but Australia threw seriously outstanding, enveloping defence at the All Blacks throughout the first half.
He wasn't alone, but he was the leader. Retallick never flinched, and threw more than the Wallabies could handle back at them. Splat, another Aussie Bledisloe Cup bid bit the dust in the face of his one-man onslaught.
In the 40-plus years I've been watching the All Blacks, Brodie Retallick would now rate as the first forward picked in an All-Time team. He isn't just a modern day successor to Colin Meads and his remarkable reputation, but his equal in every way.
That claim is based heavily on Meads' reputation because people of my age must rely on edited film clips and word-of-mouth to understand how good the late, great Pinetree was.
Some say comparing players across the ages is difficult and it is at times, but sometimes it is actually very easy. Retallick makes it easy. If the name of the game is winning, he is Numero Uno.
He did it all on Saturday night, and if it was amongst his finest work ever, he plays in this ballpark almost every week.
Lineout steals, big tackles, strong charges, a critical sprawling turnover...he was also part of a mighty scrum, although it has to be said that Australia are not a scrum benchmark. Retallick has also built an excellent short passing game over the years.
Every sporting masterpiece needs an iconic moment, and Retallick capped the night with an extravagant dummy and long run for a try. It was hard to believe what we were seeing at times.
Retallick's move to the Chiefs before the 2012 season is the finest piece of recruitment in New Zealand franchise history, although even the Chiefs may not have understood what they were really getting. No one signalled to the public how good he could be, not that I can remember.
The Crusaders are a fine rugby machine, but their failure to sign and develop the Christchurch Boys High School giant is the biggest miss in New Zealand rugby scouting history.
As good as players like Springboks lineout ace Victor Matfield and Wallabies legend John Eales were, nobody touches Retallick's all round game, with only locking partner Sam Whitelock in the vicinity.
What sets Retallick apart is his excellence in the open while still providing world-class muscle and grunt in the tight. That's why I would now place him above Michael Jones, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read and co.
Hurricanes utility Vaea Fifita gave us a glimpse into what it is like to be a tight forward recently, when the converted loose forward admitted he wanted no part of playing at lock.
Athletic giant Fifita described how scrums left him exhausted.
"I like six because I can use my athleticism to do what I can do on the outside, rather than just stay tight and do the hard work like running into a brick wall and getting your body tired. Then you can't do anything," Fifita added, talking to Stuff.
After a torrid first half on Saturday night, in which the All Blacks battled under pressure, Retallick dominated the game and then uncorked his 62nd minute rampage to the tryline.
Retallick looked as fit as a fiddle, while the Australians showed growing signs of exhaustion.
He has an enormous motor, an enormous heart, the full range of skills, plus size and power. He is, to my mind, the main reason why the All Blacks often look invincible.
Ryan Crotty...please accept your race is run.
Ryan Crotty...assisted off the field yet again sadly. Photo / Photosport
A sad day...but the lionhearted and clever midfield back Ryan Crotty should retire. Watching him leave the field yet again with concussion was sickening.
