"I am not sure it is motivation. You definitely don't forget it, that's for sure," All Blacks second row Brodie Retallick said about his side's tour series defeat to Ireland last year.
The All Blacks meet Ireland this Saturday in a Rugby World Cup quarter-final. The last time the two sides met, a 32-22 victory for Ireland in Wellington, Retallick was forced to exit the game after suffering a fractured cheekbone in a head-to-head clash with Andrew Porter. The Ireland front row was shown a yellow card, though many felt it should have been a red. It was an injury which ruled Retallick out of the Rugby Championship.
Should Andrew Porter have received a red card for this incident? Or was a yellow card fair?
A potentially defining moment of the game #NZvIRE pic.twitter.com/M7uBHBKcQB
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"Especially the last test in Wellington. I remember getting a fracture. I haven't forgotten about that one," said Retallick.
"I am not going to dwell on that [injury], it was still head on head in my opinion but it's frustrating when you get injuries like that, that rule you out of the game."
16 July 2022; All Blacks second row Brodie Retallick leaves the pitch with an injury during the Steinlager Series match between the New Zealand and Ireland rugby teams at Sky Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Regarding the Irish players, Retallick added: "Those boys like chipping away. As long as it doesn't become a distraction to your own game, then I don't have a problem with it.
"If we are doing our job right it keeps the crowd out of the game but that's one of the awesome parts about a World Cup, is how vocal and the enthusiasm the crowd bring.
"I've seen them singing the Cranberries (Zombie song, which has become a crowd favourite during this Rugby World Cup) - great song but hopefully they are not singing on Saturday."
8 September 2023; Brodie Retallick of New Zealand takes possession in a lineout during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between France and New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
This tournament is Retallick's third Rugby World Cup. The All Blacks won in 2015 and lost to England in the 2019 final.
"It's obviously nice having the experience of being there before," said Retallick.
"But at the same time, it's another game of rugby.
"You get the scoreboard pressure potentially and there's that side of the game. But as I touched on, you can't get too distracted by those big ones and [have to stay] in the moment. I've seen plenty of teams come back from bad positions.
"I've been lucky enough to win in 2015 and then to get knocked out, to feel the pain of not being in the final.
"We touched on 2019 before we left New Zealand as a team. Obviously, some guys haven't experienced that and it's a hard lesson to learn when you do. So our plan is obviously not to go through that pain this week."
See Also: 'If Ireland Are Going To Win A Rugby World Cup, They'll Feel Like It's Now'
