Rugby: All eyes on first-timer in veteran All Blacks squad

World Rugby's player of the year in 2014, Brodie Retallick has been a fixture in the pack since his debut in 2012. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It's hard to believe this is the debut World Cup for All Blacks fixture Brodie Retallick.

The All Blacks will be the most experienced team at this Rugby World Cup in terms of test caps, but Brodie Retallick, a player who seems to have been around for a decade, is, like the majority of the squad, about to attend one for the first time.

Lock Retallick, World Rugby's player of the year in 2014, has been a fixture in the pack since his debut in 2012 - playing in 41 tests around the world - but he is not sure what to expect over the next two months or so and neither are 17 of his colleagues.

"The only other real rugby tournament like this that I've been to is the Under-20s in Italy which was half the time of this World Cup, so it's new ground for a lot of the boys and it's something that we're looking forward to," he said.

"Not being there before, I don't really know what to expect and what the atmosphere is going to be like but at the same time it's exciting. We've got four pool matches to get through and hopefully we can move on from there but we've got to play some good rugby."

The 24-year-old Retallick's partnership with Sam Whitelock, with Luke Romano in reserve, is such that Steve Hansen and his coaches have opted to take only three locks to the tournament. Jerome Kaino and Victor Vito will be used as possible lock cover, their versatility allowing the All Blacks to take an extra loose forward - a traditionally injury-prone position - while allowing for extra speed on the bench as they attempt to play the game at pace.

Retallick insisted he was happy with the potential extra workload and his ability to play through pain was probably one of the reasons Hansen decided to take only three specialist second-rowers.

Retallick injured an ankle before the All Blacks played the Springboks in a Rugby Championship test in Johannesburg this year but pushed through the pain barrier to help deliver his team to an impressive come-from-behind 27-20 victory.

"He assured us he was okay but I think it's a testament to his courage and his mental fortitude and toughness that he actually got through the game," Hansen said at the time.

"He got another belt on it in the far corner and re-taped it, so he should be pretty proud of himself and we're very proud of him."

Vintage World Cup

All Black World Cup veterans
Tony Woodcock, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Jerome Kaino, Victor Vito, Sam Whitelock, Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams.

Most experienced RWC squads
1. New Zealand 1484 caps
2. South Africa 1297
3. Georgia 1253

Players with 50 caps or more
1. Australia 13
2. South Africa 11
3. Romania 11
4. New Zealand 10