Field marshal

Field marshal

How the All Blacks captain copes with the scrutiny, the sacrifices and the time away from his family.

There’s a moment in Kieran Read’s week when it’s all worth it. The scrutiny, the sacrifices, the time away from his wife and two daughters. They cease to feel so significant when the All Blacks captain and his team are alone in the dressing room.

Read loves leading the side and is immensely proud of what they mean to New Zealanders. But winning doesn’t happen by accident, it takes a level of work and singlemindedness that only All Blacks themselves can understand.

The satisfaction is only fleeting, too, and maybe that’s the secret to the team’s enduring success.

‘‘It’s hard to find those moments. Certainly you do immediately post a test match,’’ Read, 30, said ahead of tonight’s Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia at Westpac Stadium.

‘‘That time in the changing sheds is probably one of the best times you can have as a rugby player. [There’s] great satisfaction.

‘‘But it does quickly turn to next week. The trainer’s into you, you’re in the ice bath and the nutritionist has got you having protein shakes and things.

‘‘That’s just the ride that we’re in. We’re expected to do so well and we actually don’t mind that. We want to work hard.’’

Read used to regard himself as an unlikely rugby captain. He skippered a lot of age-group cricket teams, but rugby was different.

Things began to change at 22, when Canterbury coach Rob Penney installed him as provincial captain. Read made his All Blacks debut later that year, under the incomparable Richie McCaw.

A ‘‘burning desire’’ to become skipper grew in the years that followed and, to the surprise of no-one, Read’s moment arrived in June, having been vice-captain and captained in a caretaker capacity when McCaw was on sabbatical or being rested.

When McCaw retired, after guiding the All Blacks to the 2015 Rugby World Cup title, he took lieutenants such as Keven Mealamu, Daniel Carter, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu and Tony Woodcock with him.

Read and head coach Steve Hansen were diligent in their planning for 2016 and beyond, and so far this season there’s been a 3-0 series win over Wales, followed by last Saturday’s 42-8 victory over Australia in Sydney.

Many teams would go backwards after losing players and leaders of the calibre this one did. The All Blacks don’t have that luxury – their success is demanded – and it’s up to Read to lead that culture of achievement.

When he spoke before, it was from within McCaw’s team. It’s Read’s show now, although he does turn to others to make sure his messages are getting the traction they need to.

‘‘I use Steve a lot around delivery and a guy like [All Blacks manager – leadership] Gilbert Enoka as well, in terms of guys kind of outside looking in. In the group, too, it’s the guys you trust, the guys who have been around, like a JK [Jerome Kaino] and Sammy Whitelock.

‘‘They’re guys I get on really well with and I can just ask them how things are going and they’re part of the leadership group and I try to give as much responsibility to all the group as I can.’’

Whatever Read does or says, it’s genuine. He has enormous faith in his qualities as a man and their ability to naturally shine through.

After all, the All Blacks are in the deeds business and a lot of the messages conveyed within the team are unspoken.

‘‘I know guys are watching the leaders and watching me and I want to set a great standard there.

‘‘You can’t really have that bad day as a captain. Even when perhaps you’re not feeling it, you’ve just got to try and get yourself up and show a really strong body language and work really hard.

‘‘Your voice is a strong part of your arsenal as a leader and it has to be used correctly. I certainly believe that, because that’s what gives people confidence and points them in the right direction.

‘‘But actions are what, deep down, people look for.’’

It’s not just the team who are looking when you’re All Blacks captain, though. Whether Read likes it or not, he’s a public figure now.

‘‘I’ve grown into it. It’s a strange feeling when it first comes about.’’

He remembers his early years in the Crusaders, when team-mates such as McCaw and Carter would be out front at promotional events while he’d ‘‘hide out the back’’.

‘‘It just grows over time and you grow up in that public spotlight. It was probably a gradual thing for me. It’s all part of our job.’’

But no part of their job is more important than winning. With Read in the team and Hansen assistant or head coach, the team have won back-to-back World Cups.

Hansen has since extended his deal until 2020, talking about new challenges to be met and mountains to be climbed.

Really, though, what more can this group possibly achieve?

‘‘We’re in a position where the All Blacks are very successful in rugby and in world sport, so we want to try and transcend some boundaries there and try and show how good we can be,’’ Read said.

‘‘It’s a great new group we’ve got in here, a lot of guys in their first year and a few guys who are still only growing into the All Blacks, so there’s a lot of motivation in the group to get better.

‘‘There’s a few things on the horizon, in terms of specific tournaments, but as a group we just want to grow this team and get better.’’

‘‘You can’t really have that bad day as a captain. Even when perhaps you’re not feeling it, you’ve just got to try and get yourself up and show a really strong body language and work really hard.’’