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Kieran Read announced on Wednesday that he is to retire from New Zealand duty after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
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The All Blacks captain will play his last season in Super Rugby for the Crusaders before moving to Japan to join Toyota Verblitz.
Having played for the national team during the most successful period in their history, winning back-to-back World Cups in 2011 and 2015, Read will be remembered as a true All Blacks great.
Here, with the help of Opta, we take a look at some of the best facts from a glittering career.
📸 Kieran Read – a career in pictures.
FULL GALLERY 👉🏽 https://t.co/sjCNWmjGHK pic.twitter.com/jWHhIPdl21
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) March 6, 2019
118 – Read’s 118 caps for the All Blacks place him joint-third in New Zealand history and 14th overall in Test rugby. His predecessor as captain, Richie McCaw, tops both lists on 148.
43 – Read has played 43 of his Tests to date as skipper and is the 66th captain of the side.
130 – Read could potentially play another 12 matches, which would see him pull level with former Ireland fly-half and current Crusaders assistant coach Ronan O’Gara on 130 – eighth on the all-time list.
4 – Read (101) is one of only four players to win 100 Test matches, along with fellow All Blacks McCaw, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock.
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19 – His run of 19 consecutive victories as All Blacks captain from 2012 to 2016 is a record.
25 – McCaw is the only forward from a tier one nation to have scored more international tries than Read.
14 – Read is one of three players to have played 14 matches against a single opponent and win all of those games, achieving the feat against Argentina. McCaw (v Ireland) and O’Gara (v Italy) are the other men on that list.
145 – Read has made 145 appearances for the Crusaders, putting him level with McCaw in fifth on the Super Rugby side’s appearance list.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Completely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to comments