Read retires from rugby after semifinal loss
World Rugby and the All Blacks have saluted Kieran Read who ended his career after a semifinal defeat in Japan’s Top League.
Read, 35, confirmed before leading Steve Hansen’s Toyota Verblitz out against Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Knights at the weekend that he would be ending his career at the conclusion of the Japanese season.
The third most-capped player in All Blacks history was unable to extend his career another week, with the Wild Knights celebrating a 48-21 win.
Read said in a social media post: ‘‘I’m looking forward to returning to New Zealand and spending time with my family.’’
The No8 – World Rugby’s player of the year in 2013 – played 128 tests (52 as captain) and won two Rugby World Cup medals with the All Blacks and four
Super Rugby
Crusaders.
New Zealand Rugby issued a titles with the social media tribute, saying: ‘‘Thank you, Reado. We wish you all the best in your retirement from professional rugby.’’
World Rugby also congratulated Read on ‘‘a stellar career’’.
Papakura-born Read made his first-class debut for Canterbury in 2006, and played for the Crusaders from 2007 to 2019, including several seasons as captain.
He made his All Blacks debut in 2008 and was a keystone of the World Cup-winning packs in 2011 an 2015.
Read took over the captaincy from Richie Mccaw in 2016 and led the All Blacks to a semifinal exit at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
He last played in New Zealand in 2020, turning out five times for his birthplace province Counties Manukau in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Read co-captained Toyota Verblitz – where Hansen is director of rugby – and his side was still in the hunt for most of the match against the Wild Knights, trailing by only six points in the final quarter.
But Deans’ Wild Knights ran in three late tries – with Japan test wing Kenki Fukuoka celebrating a hat-trick.
Fukuoka, 28, will retire from rugby at the end of the season to become a doctor.
His Wild Knights and Japan team-mate Rikiya Matsuda, who scored 21 points, told Kyodo News: ‘‘Now we want to do well in the final and send [Fukuoka] off a winner.’’
The Wild Knights – who have won four Japanese titles – will meet the winner of yesterday’s second semifinal between Beauden Barrett’s Suntory Sungoliath and Ryan Crotty’s Kubota Spears in the Top League grand final on May 23.