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Kieran Read: 'I don’t care, the All Blacks will win'
Former captain Kieran Read believes the All Blacks have the physical clout to take on and beat the Springboks machine in tonight’s Rugby World Cup final in Paris.
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Both sides are vying for their fourth World Cup and it promises to be an enthralling contest between two titans of the sport, even if both sides have lost a game at this tournament.
Read believes the All Blacks have the pack to take on the Springboks forwards – whose ranks have swollen to 15 care of a 7-1 split on the bench.
“Our forward pack is going to win the game for us. We’ve seen that the Boks have two forward packs, one to start, one to come on. They are going to come out firing so our big boys will win the game. I think they can match them in that area. If they do that, I truly believe they’ve got the backs, exciting players to unlock the Springboks defence.
“They probably didn’t kick as well against Argentina (in the semi-final) but against Ireland they kicked really well (in the quarter-final). I think they will have to do that again, whether kicking to recover through chip kicks or kicking really long and finding some space. I don’t think they’ll want to kick out too much. Keep the ball in play as much as they can.”
Read also gave his take on Rassie Erasmus’ much-vaunted 7-1 bench split, which he believes carries with it significant risk for South Africa.
“You’ve got to hand it to Rassie, he’s got the gumption to go for it. It’s a little bit of an all-in play. It’s risky, it has its risks.
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“From the All Blacks points of view, it just reaffirms how much our forwards are going to have to work in the game. It offers some options too for us later in the game, to run against some tired backs potentially.”
The 127 cap New Zealand great who was part of two successful World Cup campaigns in 2011 and 2015, believes that remaining calm will be key in what’s been a stormy lead-in to the finale.
“Having been to two World Cup finals and knowing how big the weeks are, you can get caught up in playing the game too early. It’s all about trying to maintain a bit of calmness.
“There’s going to be nerves, anticipating that, knowing that they’ll be there and it’s fine.
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“What I learned from the senior players (from 2011), Richie (McCaw) was really to simplify it. Simplify your messages, simplify what you need to do as a team. It’s never the special players, it’s never the magic play – those things might come off – but it’s just doing the basics really well.
“It’s going to be very close, decided by a few points. I don’t care, the All Blacks will win,” concluded Read when asked for a score prediction.
Comments on RugbyPass
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments