Read: ‘Weird week’ for ABs
Kieran Read says it has been ‘‘a weird week’’ in Tokyo with two All Blacks groups preparing for separate assignments.
The All Blacks captain said things had ‘‘worked pretty smoothly’’ but being among a 51-man squad was a different experience.
Read and 21 team-mates left yesterday for London ahead of the England test on November 10, while 10 players from the Bledisloe III test squad and a bunch of reinforcements prepare for tomorrow’s international against Japan.
‘‘It’s been a unique week, if I can put it that way,’’ Read said at the launch of the All Blacks’ new jersey in Tokyo on Wednesday.
"It’s been pretty weird, I think .... We are one team, but we’ve let the Japan crew do their thing and the guys that are leaving, we’ve let them do their bit, and not tried to impose too much.
‘‘It’s worked smoothly. I’ve given those guys the opportunity to come in and lead themselves. ‘‘There’s no point in me trying to lead at training because I won’t be there on Saturday. They’ve got some good men to do that.’’ need to do to help the team’’ playing Japan, Crotty said.
‘‘But we know we’ve got to get on the plane and [head to London] to prepare for a massive test against England, which all the guys are excited about.’’
Crotty said the All Blacks were delighted to see ‘‘the champ’’, seasoned hooker Dane Coles, ‘‘back in the environment’’.
‘‘He’s infectious, his attitude is great . . . he’s faced a lot of adversity to get back to playing again. It’s almost been 12 months out of the game for him.
‘‘I know he was pretty nervous the last couple of weeks playing for the [Wellington] Lions.’’
Crotty said Coles, as the senior man in the All Blacks squad for the Japan test, would ‘‘lead those young guys well’’.
Halfback Aaron Smith was looking forward to ‘‘massive games’’ at ‘‘jam-packed stadiums’’ in Europe, but had one regret about saying sayo¯ nara to Tokyo.
‘‘It’s a bit of a bummer heading up to some cold [in London]. Japan’s been really warm, it’s great.’’