Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read 'not really keen' to return to Japan; admits playing days could be over
By Christopher Reive, NZ Herald
Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read has admitted he’s unlikely to return to Japan this season despite the Top League rugby competition working to return in the coming months.
The 128-cap All Black, who signed with Toyota Verblitz on a two-year deal through to the end of the 2021 season, was back in New Zealand this week, and told Radio Sport‘s Jim Kayes he had no interest in returning to Japan while the coronavirus pandemic was still prominent.
“Nah, not really,” he said. “Not in the current climate and with everything going on, I just want to be here with my family.
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“It definitely won’t be for me this season. They’re looking at playing in May which I just don’t see happening when they’ve cancelled an event that is over four months away in the Olympics.
“I think I’ll be at home until we actually know how this thing’s going to play out, which I think is going to be a few months or more I guess.”
When asked if not returning to Japan would be the end of his playing days, Read said it was very much a wait and see situation.
“I am contracted for next year in Japan and I guess we’ll just wait and see what happens with this virus. If it’s all gone out of the world and people are travelling around then potentially I could be back up there.”
Read returned to New Zealand this week to be with his family during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, a move made by a number of Kiwi rugby players currently signed in Japan.
“It was a pretty crazy time when we found out on Monday what was happening in New Zealand, it was pretty essential.
“My family was back here already which I was thankful for, but yeah, I guess you need to be home as quickly as you could.”
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Read’s family joined him in Japan when he moved over to play, but returned home after the schools were closed in early March. The 34-year-old remained in Japan for another week in case there was word on the immediate future of the competition.
“We thought there’s no point hanging around here if we get stuck in a Japan house, which is not too big, it would probably do us all in.
“Obviously things took a turn for the worse. I was prepared to come back and whatever happens with my contract up there, I’m not too sure as yet. But it was more important to come back.”
With a number of Kiwis plying their trade in Japan, Read said there would be some who stay in Japan given the uncertainty of the competition and, subsequently, player contracts.
“I think the majority have come home…everyone was quite in the dark over what each club was going to do because they don’t have a central system and Japan rugby is very late on making decisions about competitions. They haven’t actually ruled out the competition next – we’re supposed to be playing in May, which seems ridiculous.
“Some guys couldn’t really risk their contracts to come back to New Zealand and potentially have a loss on them. So some guys have stayed up there, and it is relatively safe there at the moment; it’s not in lockdown or anything, but I guess for the majority wanting to be home with family it was probably a bit easier, and knowing your own healthcare system, if things did go to the worse up there in Japan.”
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments