The beleaguered All Blacks will be left without a lock on Brodie Retallick for most of the Rugby Championship after he broke his cheekbone against Ireland.
Retallick left the field during the All Blacks’ 32-22 loss on Saturday night after a sickening head-on collision with Irish gag Andrew Porter.
Porter had a scapegoat – not evicted as All Blacks prop Angus Ta’avao was in the second Test – but could face further action from World Rugby.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster said he thought the Porter decision was another case of a ‘card lottery’.
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Even more worrying for Foster is the fact that the All Blacks will now face off against World Champion Springboks without Rettallick, a former World Player of the Year and one of the most experienced locks in the world.
Adding to the conundrum of the All Blacks’ second row, Crusaders captain Scott Barrett had to withdraw from the third Test with a knee problem after being scheduled to start at the blindside flanker.
Normally, Barrett would be the logical replacement for Retallick at lock, but Tupou Vaa’i, who replaced Retallick in the second half in Wellington, is now getting more playing time alongside veteran Sam Whitelock.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Brodie Retallick is checked by an All Blacks medic after breaking his cheekbone against Ireland.
The All Blacks added former Blues captain Patrick Tuipolutu to the roster and he got some playing time off the bench in the second test loss in Dunedin.
He will clearly be part of the Rugby Championship mix, but Retallick’s 95 cap experience will be missed.
His injury came at a time when the All Blacks’ lineout imploded against Ireland and will be a concern for coaches ahead of the first Rugby Championship clashes against the Springboks in Mbombela on August 7 and on August 14 in Johannesburg.
South Africa just won a test series against Wales 2-1 and their lineout was a strength, with locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager backed by Pieter-Steph du Toit, backed by reserve Franco Mostert.
Etzebeth, who took his 100th cap in Boks’ 30-14 third test win on Saturday (Sunday Dutch time), has rated Retallick as one of his five toughest test opponents.