Kieran Read

Kieran Read
Full name Kieran James Read
Date of birth (1985-10-26) 26 October 1985
Place of birth Papakura, New Zealand
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 110 kg (17 st 5 lb)
School Rosehill College
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Number 8/Flanker
New Zealand No. 1083
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2006– Canterbury 37 (50)
correct as of 28 July 2013.
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2007– Crusaders 121 (95)
correct as of 14 June 2015.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2008– New Zealand 84 (100)
correct as of 31 October 2015.

Kieran Read (born 26 October 1985) is a New Zealand rugby union player, who plays for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition and New Zealand internationally. He was the IRB Player of the Year in 2013. He was a key member of 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup winning teams, becoming one of only twenty dual Rugby World Cup winners.

He supplanted Rodney So'oialo as the All Blacks first-choice number 8 in 2009, and can also play blind-side flanker and lock.

Early life

Read was brought up, and played his childhood rugby in the small town of Drury in the Counties Manukau region just south of Auckland. He attended Opaheke Primary (where his mother teaches) as a child, and Rosehill College as a teenager (with a one-year interlude at Saint Kentigern College in 2000 ). Read excelled in all aspects of school life, especially the sports field. He performed with distinction, gaining top marks all the way through to the end of seventh form. He was Head Boy of the 2000-student school, as well as Sportsman of the Year and Sports All-rounder of the Year. Read was also a talented cricketer, representing Northern District age group teams and being selected for the New Zealand U17 tournament side in 2002.[1]

Rugby career

Provincial

Many dubbed him as an up-and-coming Black Cap, as his ability as a batsman was just as obviously exceptional as his skills as a rugby player. But Read focused his efforts on rugby, and only one year out of high school, he was selected by the Canterbury R.F.U, and began his professional career in their development squad. Rising quickly through the ranks, Read played his first N.P.C game in 2006, his second year out of college.

Super Rugby

Read proceeded to play for the Crusaders in the Super 14 in 2007, and secured his position as the starting blind-side in the team in 2008.[2]

He first captained the side in 2011, standing in for an injured Richie McCaw.[3] In 2012, Read led the team for their first 10 matches while McCaw was rested.[4] In 2013, another extended rest for McCaw saw Read named captain, although Read he six consecutive games with a toe injury.[5]

All Blacks

Read scoring a try at the 2011 Rugby World Cup

Read was first selected for the All Blacks on the end of season tour in 2008, and became a regular first choice selection in 2009. He made his debut against Scotland 8 November 2008.[6]

In 2010 Read was named New Zealand Rugby Player of the Year.[7]

In 2013, he was named captain of the All Blacks in place of Richie McCaw who was on sabbatical.[8]

On 15 June 2013, Read played his 50th test, which coincided with All Blacks 500th test match in the second match of the series between New Zealand and France at AMI Stadium. All Blacks won the match 30–0, and secured the series win with a match to play.[9] That year Read claimed rugby's top honour in the IRB Player of the Year.

Following Richie McCaw's retirement in November 2015, Read is expected to be named captain of the next All Blacks squad, to be named prior to the Wales tests in 2016.

Read has already had nine of his 84 test caps as captain − once in 2012, six times in 2013 and once each in 2014 and '15. He knows what the role entails, he's familiar with its demands, and he's comfortable with the extra pressures and responsibilities that go with it.

As a hardened, first-choice senior All Black and leader, he has the respect of every rugby player in New Zealand. And as a two-time World Cup winner, global player of the year in 2013 and, at his best, the most complete No 8 in the game, he has the mana to make this thing work.[10]

In 2016, Read has been promoted from vice-captain to captain of All Blacks following the retirement of Richie McCaw

Honours

IRB Player of the Year (1) ; 2013

Personal life

Read is married to Bridget Read (née Funnell).[11] They have two daughters.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Drury Rugby Club". www.druryrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Crusaders Player Profile". crusaders.co.nz. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Crusaders team to play Blues named". 3 News. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "McCaw back starting and leading Crusaders". Fairfax Media. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  5. ↑ Richens, Matt (16 May 2013). "Captain Kieran Read back to lead Crusaders". Fairfax Media (stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "All Blacks Player Profile". www.allblacks.com. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "Read takes NZ rugby player of the year award". NZ Herald (APN). NZPA. 16 December 2010.
  8. ↑ "All Blacks name new captain Kieran Read, six debutants for France series". ABC (Radio Australia). 2 June 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "All Blacks Thump France in 500th Test". www.scmp.com. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "Seamless and sensible − Kieran Read ready to be All Blacks leader". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "In The Frame: Bridget Read" (PDF). www.nzsportsframes.co.nz. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  12. ↑ Knowler, Richard (14 September 2012). "Kieran Read's mad dash to see baby born". Fairfax Media (stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 20 July 2015.

External links

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