Retallick cousins relishing coaching role together

Cousins Brook and Andrew Retallick have taken on new roles as Assistant Coaches to the North Canterbury Development squad, the Stags. 

The cousins were approached by the North Canterbury Rugby Sub-Union earlier this year to assist Troy Manaena in coaching the development squad.  

Beginning at Amberley RFC as a child, Brook played his school years for Christchurch Boys’ High School, before returning to North Canterbury in 2007 where he has remained, excluding a couple of years, with Glenmark-Cheviot. As well as being a vital part of North Canterbury Rugby, Brook is Chief Fire Officer at Rangiora’s Volunteer Fire Brigade. 

Spending almost two decades away from North Canterbury, Andrew Retallick racked up 150 games for Border Rugby Club in Taranaki, a couple of Ranfurly Shield wins, as well as winning the Heartland Championship in 2011 with Whanganui.  

Andrew finished playing club rugby seven years ago but turned to coaching his clubs’ seniors and the Taranaki U20s side. A highlight for him this weekend will be watching some of his U20 Taranaki players in the line up against Canterbury in the NPC game at the Rangiora Showgrounds, after the Stags play Ellesmere.  

Andrew moved back home to North Canterbury last year for the role of Principal at Woodend Primary, the same school he attended as a child.  

Despite Brook and Andrew not having played together before, they’re both very excited to be working alongside each other, “We’re a very close family” says Andrew, and they’ll “feed off each other” when it comes to banter, which he hopes the players enjoy. 

The Stags masseur Graeme Bennie sings the cousins praises, saying “you couldn’t get two better guys for the boys to learn from.” 

The Retallick name boasts a number of family members playing across a range of representative teams, as well as the All Blacks spanning generations. Perhaps most widely known is Brook’s younger brother Brodie, who is currently in London preparing for his third World Cup.  

That is a Family Christmas table any rugby loving kiwi would be eager to sit at.  

Written by Hannah Yates