Page 36 - All Blacks v Lions - First Test

Read crosses against Wales in New Zealand last year
which also required surgery. That only set him back with match tness, as he could still do all his running. Contact was, however, off the menu. Now he is good to go. “That’s the way I have to look at it,” he says. “Those are the cards I’ve been dealt. The body’s feeling really good. It’s an exciting time and I can’t wait.”
Read and fellow loose forward Jerome Kaino, who has also endured an injury lay-off, are seasoned enough to know how to manage returns from injury. “You
things,” he says. “We just did basic things really well, like catching, passing and running into space. It won’t be as easy this time around.”
Tonight, Read will run out for his 23rd Test as All Blacks Captain. Only Richie McCaw, Sean Fitzpatrick and the late Sir Wilson Whineray have done so more times. That’s decent company to be keeping. “The captaincy has helped my game. I guess it’s still fairly new, but it’s about knowing how to better use the guys around me now. I’m enjoying the role,” he says.
Read is the sole current All Black who is a member of the NZ Barbarians club
Test match tries scored by Read
“We’ll have to be close to our best win, they’ll come at us with everything they can bring.”
get used to coming back from breaks over your career. Investec Super Rugby is slightly different to Test rugby, which is tougher. I just have to do my role and the boys will look after me,” Read says.
The “boys” performed strongly in his absence in last Friday’s
78-0 win over Manu Samoa at Eden Park. Read watched on approvingly as Ardie Savea scored two tries on his starting No 8 debut and the All Blacks’ attack clicked into gear, especially in the second stanza. “We showed a bit of rust early, but the pleasing thing was we didn’t score tries by pushing
22 NUMBER OF
TEST OUTINGS AS ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN
88 TEST STARTS AT NO 8, A NEW ZEALAND RECORD
136 MATCHES FOR THE CRUSADERS SINCE 2007
284 FIRST-CLASS APPEARANCES SINCE 2006
1083 READ’S ALL BLACKS NUMBER
Read sounds calm, settled.
He has inked a new two-year deal with New Zealand Rugby and the Crusaders, as well as signing on with his native province Counties Manukau. This is a man who knows he can lead the All Blacks until at least Rugby World Cup 2019. Not bad for a bloke who, back in 2005 when he was in New Zealand Under 21, thought he would be retired by 30, before the Lions even hit these shores. He’s glad he hasn’t hung up the boots just yet.
In that 38-match Eden Park streak, the All Blacks have, on occasion, won without quite hitting all their straps. Read is con dent they won’t get away with any half-pie output in the series opener. “We’ll de nitely have to be close to our best to win. The Lions have had their time. They’ve built combinations. They’ll come at
us with everything they can bring. If we turn up not mentally there and don’t take our chances,
we’ll be found out,” he says.
The scene is set. Read is ready. Bring it on.
21
KIERAN READ BY THE NUMBERS
14 WINS FROM AS MANY TESTS AT EDEN PARK
36 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME
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