Rugby World Cup 2019: Brodie Retallick says death of son changed his outlook on life

All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick says losing a child prematurely has changed his outlook on life. 

Two years ago Retallick and his wife Niki lost a baby boy, prompting him to take a six-month hiatus from rugby. 

The boy was the couple's second child.

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"We already had one daughter before then, so it had a big impact on us," Retallick told Sky Sport.

"It's easy to get caught up in this environment that rugby's the be-all and end-all, but we're all humans outside of this team and everyone's got things going on.

"Some things that might have seemed like a big problem before then are not so big anymore and you just carry on and move on."

Since the tragic news, the couple welcomed a new addition to their family with the birth of their daughter, Frankie May, joining two-year-old daughter Sienna. 

Retallick has endured a challenging 2019 season, highlighted by a dislocated shoulder which put his World Cup dreams in doubt. 

The injury also resulted in a  pinched nerve and subsequent numbness in his fingers and arms.

The injury occurred in July and the 28-year-old only returned to the rugby field during the All Blacks' 61-9 win over Namibia on Sunday. 

He wasn't expected to be fit until the quarter-finals, but last month he revealed that an aqua jogging miracle was the reason behind his recovery. 

"That was what the real uncertainty was about really is when the function of those muscles and fingers were gonna come back," he added. 

"The one thing that no-one could tell me when it was gonna come right. With a nerve, it's not like a bone where they can say you know it's six or eight weeks... the scary bit about it was there was a chance that I could be sitting at home now with it still there."

Join us at 5:45pm Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Italy Rugby World Cup clash.

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