Read to lead All Blacks
15 Nov 2012
Kieran Read will captain the All Blacks for the first time when they play Italy on Saturday.
Read replaces Richie McCaw, who will be rested. Read is also expected to assume the reins at the Crusaders and All Blacks in 2013 when McCaw takes a six-month sabbatical.
Coach Steve Hansen has made 14 changes to the side that smashed Scotland 51-22 last week. An entirely new pack will start in Rome this weekend, while Julian Savea is the only survivor from the backline that started in Edinburgh.
All Blacks – 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Hosea Gear, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Ali Williams, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Subs: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Sam Whitelock, 20 Victor Vito, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Dan Carter, 23 Cory Jane.
76 Comments
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15 Nov 2012, 13:57 pm
uyindoda Reedo
15 Nov 2012, 14:45 pm
The AB fans really pss me off sometimes, but the AB’s are playing amazing ruggas, it seems it doesn’t matter what players they currently use they still play great rugby.
The NH teams still bend over and take it whenever the AB’s are in town, it’s like they don’t even try to believe they can beat the AB’s.
Sad really.
15 Nov 2012, 18:15 pm
Forget about just best 8, on form in performances in Test rugby this year Read is the best player on the planet. No weaknesses,line out option,great on defense,high work rate,excellent link play,great skills.
Has outplayed every 8 he has faced this yr. Lobbe in NZ and in Argentina wasn’t all that influential while Read set up a number of tries.vs Boks in Soweto he outplayed Vermuelen hands down.especially 2nd half.
Kieran Read is a class player
He will outplay Parisse this weekend as well-Parisse a class act himself.Had his best game vs England this yr 6N
Kaino last yr,Read this yr IRB players of the year,in as much as I like Dussetoir and had a huge rwc final the body of work didn’t deserve award-was sporadic.
15 Nov 2012, 18:34 pm
I still don’t buy the hype.
Good player. Excellent player. But the best nr8 in the world?
Better than Parisse, Harinordiqoy, Bonnaire, Heaslip, Falatau?
Slap me with a raw fish but I don’t get it.
15 Nov 2012, 18:35 pm
@willievz-54: Sorry, I almost forgot the best of the lot…
Fernandez-Lobbe
15 Nov 2012, 19:08 pm
The worlds best and rightly so.He currently has no competition in the eight position.The perfect eight.Welcome to the world of Kieran Read.
15 Nov 2012, 23:27 pm
All this arguing about best #8 in the world or not? Kearan would be embarrassed as he is a humble sort of guy and right at the moment I don’t think he could give a toss. His main focus will be that he is an AB captain at 26 or 27 – not too shabby and couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
15 Nov 2012, 23:34 pm
@mshiniwami-53:
Dude, most 8′s would look awsome playing in this AB’s team. Put him in Lobbes boots and get him to play against the AB’s and then maybe you can compare!
16 Nov 2012, 05:42 am
@whatever-58:
glad you said most, Spies would still be a donkey playing 8 for the world and RC champions
16 Nov 2012, 05:54 am
@NZINCHINA-59:
Agreed, he’d make a good 7′s player I think……..but he should be nowhere near a test squad
16 Nov 2012, 06:01 am
@whatever-60:
plenty of your countrymen don’t rate Read for some reason, he’s got to be short odds to win IRB
16 Nov 2012, 06:04 am
player of the year, although apparently its common knowledge on KEO unless a SAFFA wins the award is fixed and doesn’t really count, especially McCaw’s 3 awards an annual nomination all fixed apparently
16 Nov 2012, 06:08 am
That’s where we have got to now with a number of SAFFA supporters unfortunately, all awards are fixed that don’t involve a South African player and all WC’s that aren’t won by SA are also fixed very sad.
16 Nov 2012, 06:50 am
@NZINCHINA-63: Must be honest, not sure why some of my compratiots don’t rate him (when I’m sure most of them secretly wished we had him on our side)
16 Nov 2012, 07:20 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-64:
the boys from Pretoria would prefer Spies but the real rugby brains from the Cape and Durban know how good he is
16 Nov 2012, 07:42 am
@NZINCHINA-63: But don’t you thin kit odd that their has been a NH team in the last two WC when we can see the gulf in the class between north and south? But be honest, Bryce “my daddy works for NZRU” Lawrence screwed us over, just as Wayne “play on” Barnes gave you guys the finger in the 2007 WC.
You guys went on about ONE bad call, we had about 18. Also let’s not forget the bounty the “accepting” people of NZ set on Wayne Barnes head, I believe it was a $10 000 reward for his demise?
So whining comes from all corners of the world buddy, and even the Aussies (the ******* most arogant nation in the world) agreed that we were cheated.
16 Nov 2012, 08:11 am
Read is over rated because he generally stands out in a team, that features players (1 – 15) who are the best or there abouts in their respective positions in the world? That is an interesting way to view it to say the least.
I’m more than happy to have an eight that hits rucks and holes, pulverizes opposition eights (Vermeulen), claims kick-offs, offloads….. and so on. Lobbe is good, Parisse is and has been impressive for a long time, but Read is exceptional. Shining bright amongst two of the great players of all time in Dan and Richie is no small feat.
16 Nov 2012, 08:17 am
Now if he can only lose that deer-in-the-headlights look
16 Nov 2012, 08:21 am
@NZINCHINA-65: May I edit your reply? “the boys from Pretoria would prefer Spies but the real rugby brains from the Cape know how good he is”
16 Nov 2012, 09:27 am
@goodstuff-66: “You guys went on about ONE bad call, we had about 18.”
Sheesh, not this selective reading again.
Saffa okes keep telling that ABs supporters (at least the ones here) complain about the one call only, no matter how many times we stress that “That Call” was the least among of the reasons to complain, comparing to his refusal to penalize Frogs whe whole game (no pens awarded for last hour or so). But no, it keeps on and on.
Bryce was a Santa Claus comparing to uncle Wayne.
16 Nov 2012, 09:48 am
@ nils 70: you saved me the trouble of saying this yet again
Regarding spies, I personnally think he is a very good 8. He ihas good hands and blistering pace. Like messam of old, he plays too loose in tight games, but he gives the boks thrust on attack that none of the current mob have.
If he was in NZ, he would be in the AB set up he would have some work ons like messam and Vito, and wouldn’t command a dot until he had nailed those weaknesses. But that is no different to read, who was in and out of the Ab’s for the first couple of years.
16 Nov 2012, 09:50 am
Command a spot…
16 Nov 2012, 09:59 am
@corporal punishment-71: Please offer Spies NZ residency…..
16 Nov 2012, 09:59 am
Read is one of 5 or 6 senior all blacks who own their starting positions: dagg, Jane, McCaw, c smith, read and Owen franks.
Woodcock and nonu are close behind, although woodcock in particular is in the downhill slide.
Read will be there for some years, absent injury.
16 Nov 2012, 10:28 am
@corporal punishment-74: I agree with you, but you missed out one little name – D Carter. Can also include the 2 rotating hookers – H & M. At least 8 positions locked in with first choice players, and probably 9 including Nonu. 6 up for grabs plus the bench excluding the reserve hooker position.
17 Nov 2012, 01:45 am
@ aliboy – how could I forget carter! I discounted the hookers because they are only good for 50 mins, and solid but not destructive in the scrims like Bismarck.
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