- Title: Retallick back for All Blacks against Ireland
- Date: 17th October 2019
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH STEVE HANSEN ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE ALL BLACKS LOGO (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, SAYING: "Brodie (Retallick) is a bit of a freak when it comes to fitness. He has got what we call a big motor and has ability to play off long breaks or short breaks. He has put the work in, there is no question mark about that. It is just how long we have to play him or want to play him. As I said right at the beginning, he could play 80 minutes if we need him to play 80 minutes but we are very fortunate that we have got a young man called Scott Barrett, who is a very good player in his own right." HANSEN DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, SAYING: "I would say all of our group are in form at the moment and that is a really pleasing and exciting prospect. However, you can only pick 23. Then, it is like any selection, there are some guys that we could all pick and then you come down to your combinations to finish it off, what you are looking for, the style of the game you want to play, the style of game that you think the opposition are going to play. So, they are all factors that come into it. Then you end up with a 23, which we have and we are really excited and comfortable with the group we've got for this match." HANSEN DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, SAYING: "One team is probably feeling it is their turn to win one (a World Cup knockout match). That doesn't guarantee it does it? And with that comes pressure. Both teams are in the same situation, come the final whistle, one will go right and one will go left. As the Pink Panther said, stage right would be the way to go." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND HEAD COACH, STEVE HANSEN, ON IRELAND MATCH POTENTIALLY BEING HIS LAST, SAYING: "It will affect me when it is finished. You haven't got room to get ga-ga emotional because you are here to do a job and the team is bigger than the individual, always has been and always will be. The jersey and the legacy of the jersey demands you to be there 100%, give it 100% of what you have got. You haven't got time to be thinking about yourself, you are thinking about the job you have got to do." NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN KIERAN READ AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN, KIERAN READ, SAYING: "I think you have got to really embrace what the emotions are going to bring. A finals game will certainly bring you a little bit more nerves, a little bit more pressure obviously, which does create a bit of stuff in you physically, which is great to have. Important to mix that with a clear mind. The guys, I want them to be pretty fired up for this game, we will need to be in the right space but you can't be over that line and you have got to be in the right area." NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY
- Embargoed: 31st October 2019 04:55
- Keywords: Japan Ireland New Zealand rugby union Rugby World Cup Steve Hansen Kieren Read Brodie Retallick
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1HGXTR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Lock Brodie Retallick has returned for the All Blacks in arguably their strongest side for Saturday's (October 19) World Cup quarter-final against Ireland in Tokyo.
The three-times world champions gave squad players and those returning from injury some game time and trailed combinations against Canada and Namibia but were unable to field their top side against Italy after the match was cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis.
Retallick and hooker Codie Taylor were the only changes to the pack that opened their campaign against South Africa with a 23-13 victory in Yokohama. Retallick returned against Namibia on Oct. 6 after two months out with a dislocated shoulder.
Captain Kieran Read returns at number eight to lead the side in his 125th test, while the dual playmaker axis of Beauden Barrett at fullback and Richie Mo'unga at flyhalf has been reinstated.
The match could be the last for head coach Steve Hansen and Read, who are both stepping down after the World Cup.
(Production: Jack Tarrant) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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