Read back to lead ABS
Steve Hansen got the response he wanted when he buzzed recalled All Blacks skipper Kieran Read yesterday morning.
All Blacks coach Hansen still doesn’t think Read is operating at full throttle after making his comeback from spinal surgery for the Crusaders, but that isn’t expected to prevent him picking the No 8 to start his first test of the year against the Wallabies in Sydney on August 18.
Read, who relinquished the captaincy to Sam Whitelock for the series against France in June, made five appearances for the Crusaders after the test window which culminated in their 37-18 victory over the Lions in the Super Rugby final last Saturday night.
‘‘I don’t think he is 100 per cent yet, I think we can still get him quicker,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘With those nerves damaged – that you get with that back operation – it takes time to get all the firing patterns working properly.’’
Given he hadn’t played for six months, Read’s return to first-class footy was surprisingly swift; his appetite for working in defence and carrying the ball quickly had the opposition on edge, and it didn’t come at the expense of putting pressure on opposition breakdown ball.
Prior to naming his 33-man squad for the Rugby Championship at the Waihora Rugby Club south of Christchurch, Hansen rang Read, who was possibly still clearing his head after the Crusaders’ post-final celebrations, for a chat.
Even if Read was feeling a bit cloudy, he didn’t give that impression to Hansen.
‘‘I think he has still got another two or three yards of pace to get back,’’ Hansen said.
‘‘And once he does, we saw the skill and running ability [with the Crusaders]. He is going to be a hard man to keep down, he is excited. I spoke to him this morning and he can’t wait.’’
Unleashing Read against the Wallabies would add 109 tests of experience to an All Blacks side hoping to win the first Bledisloe Cup test, and set themselves up to retain the trophy for the game in Auckland a week later.
The return of world-class lock Brodie Retallick, after he was ruled out of the French series with a chest injury, would reinforce the magnitude of the job ahead
for Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
Losing the recent test series against Ireland 2-1 stung the Wallabies and when Cheika recently named an extended 36-man train-on squad he preached the need for the players to not look beyond the All Blacks game.
On Friday night the All Blacks will be involved in a ‘‘game of three halves’’ fixture, against teams from Canterbury and Otago, in Christchurch.
Apart from props Tim Perry and Joe Moody, subject to the latter passing an HIA, the majority of the Crusaders players will not participate.
Providing the others with an opportunity to improve their match fitness was key, Hansen said.
‘‘And secondly – some intensity and purpose about what we are trying to do. Rather than just go out and treat it as a joke, it has got to be treated as something serious.’’
The All Blacks will play 40 minutes against each of their opponents, followed by Canterbury and Otago meeting each other.
Hansen won’t give away any game plans but he does want his players to strive for excellence.