Eddie Jones: Brodie Retallick has the facet that ‘differentiates’ All Blacks, he maintains those standards to the ‘highest extreme’
All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick playing in Japan and former Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones.
Japan head coach Eddie Jones believes that Brodie Retallick would fit seamlessly back into the All Blacks set-up under new boss Dave Rennie.
After being announced as the next New Zealand head coach following Scott Robertson’s departure, the 62-year-old reopened the overseas player debate.
Rennie specifically namechecked Retallick having been impressed by his form while working with the second-row at Kobelco Kobe Steelers since the conclusion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The former Chiefs boss also gave the lock his chance in Super Rugby with the forward eventually going on to become one of the best players in the sport.
From Kobe to New Zealand
When Rennie eventually leaves his job at Kobe at the end of the Japan Rugby League One season to take up his All Blacks role, it appears as though he wants Retallick to join him.
Jones has backed that idea, pointing to a clip from last weekend which showed that he has still got the desire and ability to play at the highest level.
“The idea of Retallick coming back, I was watching the game last weekend, Kobe won by 80 points, they’ve got the game easily won,” he said on the Rugby Unity podcast.
“In the last minute of the game, the opposition make a break down the right-hand side, Retallick sprints 50 metres to ankle tap the bloke who’s in the clear.
“His effort and his desire to be the best all the time is incredible. He’s 35, 36 (editor’s note: 34), he just plays the game at a high level, leads by example, the best player up here by an absolute mile.
Class is permanent.
Brodie Retallick with the clock in the red. After scoring two tries. His team up 78-19. pic.twitter.com/sLFgoIZZlI
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) March 2, 2026
Retallick happy in Japan
Retallick said in an interview in January that his All Blacks time ‘was done’ and he did not exactly backtrack when speaking to Newstalk ZB after Rennie’s appointment as All Blacks head coach.
The 34-year-old is comfortable with the laws in place that prevents New Zealand from picking players based abroad, but Jones has urged NZ Rugby to find a way to get him involved.
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Whether that is luring him back to the country or slacking off the overseas policy the former England and Wallabies boss insists that Retallick’s playing too well to ignore.
“It makes you feel good about rugby when you see players do that. That was always the thing that differentiated the All Blacks; always play like an All Black, train like an All Black, and he holds those standards to the highest extreme,” he said.
“You want those blokes in your team so I’m sure he will be encouraging him to come back.”
READ MORE: Brodie Retallick adds caveat to ‘no consideration’ response to Dave Rennie’s All Blacks return call
