Kieran Read And The Other All Blacks Winning Streak No One Is Talking About
The All Blacks are looking to tie the record for the most consecutive test victories by a tier one nation when they face South Africa in Durban this weekend, but captain Kieran Read already holds a unique record – and it’s one that may surprise you, writes Scotty Stevenson.
The Springboks and All Blacks have shared many of test rugby’s most memorable moments, and the two sides will meet for the 93rd time this weekend in a city that in 1928 hosted the very first test between these nations on South African soil. The All Blacks have played 47 tests in South Africa in total, winning 21, and losing 25. It is the only country in which the All Blacks still have a losing test record.
It is in Durban that they will try to equal the record they share with their most storied opponent. The All Blacks and Springboks are the joint holders of tier one rugby’s consecutive test victory record, which stands at 17. If the All Blacks can defeat South Africa this weekend, they will have a chance to set a new record on October 22nd, against Australia, at Eden Park – a ground they have not lost at since 1994.
All of this makes for great history buff fodder, and rightly so. To go so long without being reversed is something only the best teams can achieve, and being on the cusp of setting a new mark only adds a dollop of flavour to what already shapes as a massive test match. But while we have become hung up on the team achievements, captain Kieran Read has quietly written himself into the record books in a most intriguing way.
No other All Blacks captain has won as many consecutive tests to start their tenure.
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In the 546-test history of the All Blacks, it is remarkable to think there have been just 77 test match captains. Of those 77, just 15 have led the national side in 10 or more tests, and just two have passed the 50-test mark: Sean Fitzpatrick (51) and Richie McCaw (110).
Kieran Read is the 76th All Blacks test captain (Sam Cane became the 77th against Namibia in 2015), having first led the side against Italy in 2012. Since that time Read has gone on to captain the All Blacks in 17 test matches, the 9th most in history, and equal with Andy Dalton who due to injury was sadly robbed of the chance to captain his country at the 1987 Rugby World Cup.
This weekend Read will captain the test side for the 18th time, putting him alongside Sir Brian Lochore as the eighth-most capped All Blacks test captain. On the 22nd of October, should he be fit for selection, he will equal Graham Mourie has the 7th most capped All Blacks test captain.
Dalton, Lochore, Mourie. That is quite some list. On the End of Year tour he will have the chance to go past Tana Umaga (21) and Taine Randell (22). If he captains the side in all four tests on the tour he will finish the year tied with Reuben Thorne as the fourth most capped All Blacks test captain of all time.
All of that is great, but what is amazing about Read’s captaincy is that he has won every test in which he has been in charge, a feat not even Buck Shelford could muster. While Shelford never lost a test, the All Blacks were held to an 18-all draw by Australia in Brisbane in 1988. It was Shelford’s fourth test as captain.
Work your way through the list and you will see how remarkable Read’s run is.
Richie McCaw’s winning streak ended in his 10th test in charge, when the All Blacks were defeated by South Africa in Rustenburg in 2006. Fitzpatrick strung seven wins together before the All Blacks were beaten in Sydney in 1992. Wilson Whineray, whose 30 tests as captain was a long-standing record, tasted his first defeat in just his second test as skipper, when Australia won in Christchurch in 1958.
Reuben Thorne finished his career with a 20-3 record as captain, but his opening streak lasted just six games, coming to an end against Australia in Sydney, 2002. Taine Randell, who led the team through a particularly bleak period and amassed just 12 wins from his 22 tests as captain, was tipped up in his 3rd fixture, by Australia, in Melbourne back in 1998.
Tana Umaga (18-3) was on the wrong end of the scoreboard after six tests as captain, when Australia won in Sydney in 2004. Graham Mourie lost the first of his 19 tests as captain, when France defeated the 1977 tourists in Toulouse. Dalton (15-2) got a solitary win before his first loss, as did David Kirk (9-2), while Andy Leslie drew his second test as captain, against Australia in 1976.
Gary Whetton (12-3) managed two wins before coming unstuck in this third test (also against Australia) while Todd Blackadder (7-3) and Anton Oliver (8-2) set a four- and five-test streak respectively.
And that leaves Sir Brian Lochore, the man Read will match for tests as captain this weekend. Until Read came along, Lochore held the record for the longest winning streak as a new captain. It was not until his 15th test as skipper that the man from Wairarapa Bush tasted defeat, going down to the Springboks in Pretoria in 1970.
Lochore would lead the team to victory the following week in Capetown, but would then lose his final two tests in charge, and the series to the Boks. He never led the side again, and appeared in just one more test, the following year against the British and Irish Lions.
And all of that makes Kieran Read’s captaincy all the more remarkable, and gives the skipper something else to play for this weekend. He already holds the record – how far can he stretch it?
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould'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.
30 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.
30 Go to comments