International man of mystery
The wait goes on for the return of All Blacks captain Kieran Read to top-level rugby.
‘‘He knows his body and we can’t afford to come back too early and damage it again and miss another six months.’’ All Blacks coach Steve Hansen on Kieran Read
One part of the Kieran Read mystery could be solved. Crusaders coach Scott Robertson appears resigned to not being able to select All Blacks captain and No 8 Read before Super Rugby goes into hiatus for the June test window.
‘‘Just to make it easier for him and to be really clear, there is no race for him to be there,’’ Robertson said. ‘‘It is going to be post June when he is ready.’’
At the start of the season it was hoped Read, who had surgery on his lower back in December to fix a nerve that had been causing pain in his leg, would be able to target the game against the Sun wolves in Christchurch tomorrow night to make his comeback.
But the 32-year-old has yet to be sighted on the grass at Rugby Park, where the squad trains in Christchurch. Clearly his rehabilitation is going to require more time. Just how much is uncertain.
Robertson’s comments were made in the wake of similar sentiments uttered by All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, who told Radio Sport there was no pressure on Read to rush back for the three tests against France.
‘‘I don’t think he’ll be back until after the French series but that’s not a fait accompli at this point,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘He knows his body and we can’t afford to come back too early and damage it again and miss another six months and maybe even miss the World Cup – we’ll just take it one day at a time and one week at a time.’’
If Read doesn’t play France, Hansen will have to sift through his register of back rowers to replace the 109-test veteran. Akira Ioane, Luke Whitelock and Liam Squire are all experienced operators in the position and have members of the All Blacks squad. The Crusaders’ Jordan Taufua could be another option.
Crusaders skipper Sam Whitelock, who has been rested from the game against the Sun wolves, and Chiefs flanker Sam Cane appear the logical candidates to captain the All Blacks in Read’s absence.
Should the Crusaders make the playoffs, which are scheduled to start July 21, they may have limited time to get Read match-ready – if he is available. Their only roundrobin games after the June tests are against the Highlanders and Blues.
It was important for Read, and everyone around him, to be patient, said Robertson.
‘‘He is a player that has played a hell of a lot of footy. When he is right he could just go out there and play and be the man of the match. He has got that ability, instinct and experience.
‘‘You just don’t rush [injured] backs. The nerve is growing back, and he will get some strength in that calf. He is starting to run better, he is progressing. It is just time.’’
1. Now that All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has confirmed injured captain Kieran Read is extremely unlikely to play France in June, who will win the race for the No 8 test jersey?
First things first. There’s no chance of it being Brad Shields, with reports up north noting the Northampton-bound back rower could be asked to represent England when they meet South Africa during the test window.
Other options? Luke Whitelock (Highlanders), Akira Ioane (Blues), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes) and Jordan Taufua (Crusaders) are potential replacements.
Don’t forget Liam Squire, currently sidelined with a fractured thumb. The Highlanders back rower, who can cover No 8 and blindside flanker, appeals because he offers pace and power with the ball and when he gets his timing right he hits opposition ball carriers into next week.
2. Which leads to the question, who should captain the All Blacks in Read’s absence?
It’s a two-horse race, surely, between the Crusaders’ Sam Whitelock and the Chiefs’ Sam Cane.
Openside flanker Cane first captained the All Blacks when they played Namibia during the 2015 World Cup. The promotion of Cane, because regular skipper Richie McCaw was given a spell from the pool game, indicated the selectors believed the Chiefs No 7 was a test captain in embryo.
But that was before Whitelock inspired the Crusaders to win the Super Rugby title last year. He was also preferred ahead of Cane to lead the All Blacks in their tour finale against Wales in Cardiff late last year.
Beauden Barrett captained the ABs against the Barbarians in London several weeks earlier but seems an unlikely option to replace Read. This race is between Whitelock and Cane.
3. And with Dane Coles still unable to straighten his leg properly after injuring his knee in Paris late last year, who will back up Codie Taylor for the tests?
Nathan Harris, Liam Coltman, James Parsons and Asafo Aumua have all been exposed to life inside the All Blacks bubble. With seven rounds of Super Rugby remaining until the competition goes into hiatus, the Chiefs’ Harris might have the inside running. He backed up Taylor in Cardiff and Edinburgh last year.
4. What sort of reception will Israel Folau get from the Sydney crowd when his Waratahs play the Lions tonight?
Only the most devout Waratahs supporters could ignore the issue about Folau’s stance on where the gay community fits into his religious beliefs. The longer this rumbles on, the more awkward it becomes. Will it affect crowd numbers in Sydney? Will Folau get the razz from the local rugger fraternity? And will it affect his performance? No-one is talking about his ability to take the high ball or step past opponents any more.
5. It’s 34 and counting. Can the Reds do a number on the Chiefs in Brisbane?
Aussie teams have now lost 34 games straight against their Kiwi counterparts in Super Rugby. It’s beyond the joke and it isn’t healthy for the competition. Be sure of one thing. No side from NZ is going to want to be the one that allows this sequence to be snapped. That’s the pre-match team-talk right there.