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Retallick in action against Ireland last November. Billy Stickland/INPHO
knowledge is power

All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick doesn't know any England players' names

The Kiwi second row is looking forward to facing ‘Michael Lawes’ this weekend.

ENGLAND WILL FACE New Zealand this weekend with a weakened starting team, but even still, it comes as quite a shock to learn that All Blacks’ lock Brodie Retallick doesn’t know any of his opponent’s names.

Speaking ahead of the clash in Auckland this coming Saturday [KO. 8.35am Irish time], the 23-year-old lock was quizzed as to whether or not he could name any of the players that Stuart Lancaster may select.

“A couple,” was Retallick’s reply, before journalists pushed the second row for specific names. The Chiefs man betrayed his lack of knowledge around the England team when he answered, ”Michael Lawes.”

It seems clear that Retallick was referring to Courtney Lawes, the second row who helped England to beat New Zealand at Twickenham in 2012 and started in the same fixture last year.

The incident brings to mind Luke Romano’s suggestion that he didn’t know who Paul O’Connell was before the 2013 November Test between Ireland and the All Blacks in Dublin.

We’ve heard that New Zealand rugby is something of a bubble, but even still, it is surprising that Romano and Retallick have such little knowledge of their opponents. All part of the mind games?

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