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French club table offer for All Blacks captain Kieran Read

All Blacks captain Kieran Read. Photo / Getty Images
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French rugby club Racing 92 are the first to put their hand up and signal interest in the services of All Blacks captain Kieran Read after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

According to French rugby paper Midi Olympique the club have already put an offer in front of the 115-test veteran, who has confirmed he will likely finish his playing career overseas after next year’s showpiece event.

According to the paper, Racing have made Read their top priority after previously chasing All Blacks midfielder Ryan Crotty.

Number Eight Read has played a key role in back-to-back World Cup triumphs after making his All Black debut in 2008.

After the World Cup in 2015 he assumed captaincy of the All Blacks following the retirement of Richie McCaw.

Read, who underwent major back surgery at the end of last year, told the NZ Herald earlier in the week that he and his family were leaning towards finishing his career with an overseas experience.

“We have always thought as a family that we would like to go overseas and use that experience for the kids,” Read said. “That is probably the main option at the moment.”

Racing have hosted a plethora of All Blacks after they finish up in New Zealand including Dan Carter, Joe Rokocoko and Ali Williams. They currently field former All Blacks Dominic Bird and the aforementioned Rokocoko and sit fifth on the Top 14 ladder.

Read will lead the All Blacks out against England at Twickenham this weekend before taking on world number two Ireland in Dublin the following week.

In other news:

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Phantom 1 hour ago
Nations Championship: 'The data shows the north has finally caught up with the south'

Fact: the gap between the North and the South has narrowed considerably - that I get. However, determining that only selecting only Home grown players or playing in the home country is is the optimal strategy is a bit of a toss up and highly reliant on the economies of the home union. I do understand that England and to a lesser degree Ireland selects home based only. The top 14 is a massive threat to their domestic product. France would probably not be affected (the money is at home). Fiji, Argentina, Samoa, Italy and you could even argue Scotland have only benefitted from this. Their players either go overseas to learn at higher levels (Fiji, Samoa, Argentina) or players coming into their leagues to strengthen the home product and their National teams (Scotland, Italy, Japan).

South Africa used to limit its selection to the home based players, but the reality of a weak currency vs what players could earn oversees meant that you lost access to your best players at some stage of their careers, with very few exceptions. Kolbe left SA as he was considered too small for International Rugby (yes coaches/selectors view), but ironically in France he forced selectors to notice his endeavors and select him. He is only reaching 50 caps now despite being north of 30 - granted rotation and the odd injury also played a role, but for the most part it is having debuted or becoming a regular so late.



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