Captain decides on future
Read confirms move to Japan after World Cup
All Blacks captain Kieran Read didn’t endure sleepless nights prior to deciding to relinquish his job after the World Cup.
Read, who confirmed yesterday he will join Japanese club Toyota Verblitz on a one-year contract after the global tournament later this year, said he knew the time was right to surrender the most high-profile sports position in New Zealand.
While his predecessor, Richie McCaw, retired from all rugby after the 2015 World Cup, Read, 33, will take his wife, Bridgit, and three daughters to Japan to continue his career there.
‘‘It was reasonably straightforward,’’ Read said on the decision to live in Japan. ‘‘There were different options, but I just sat down and looked at all the different aspects of making a decision – it really stood out, I guess, in terms of Japan and the Toyota club as well.’’
While he declined to discuss which clubs had chased his signature, it has been well documented that French club Racing 92 tried to sign him. He never considered retiring immediately after the World Cup. Playing in the Japanese Top League held more appeal because there are fewer games than in Europe, and he can get his family back to New Zealand by boarding just one flight.
‘‘With three kids and a family it [Japan] is a lot closer to home,’’ Read said. ‘‘And for my age, and my body, in terms of the amount of footy you play there compared to Europe and the UK . . . they are probably the main reasons.’’
After constantly being on the move during his professional career that began with the Crusaders in 2007, the prospect of spending longer periods with his young family appealed.
So, too, will the chance to earn a bumper salary. Because of the World Cup, the Top League will be staged twice over two seasons in 2020 which means players can potentially earn twice as much.
Given Read has been forced to undergo surgery in recent seasons to repair his body, he will also be mindful of the need to manage his workload. He had an operation on his lower spine in Kieran Read on playing in Japan
late 2017, forcing him to miss a large chunk of the Crusaders’ Super Rugby campaign and the All Blacks’ domestic test series against France in June prior to returning to take over the captaincy from Sam Whitelock.
After the All Blacks tour to the northern hemisphere in late 2016 Read had an operation on his wrist, which forced him to delay his return to the Crusaders until mid-way through their season.
By declaring his future plans now, Read will hope he can focus on his work at the Crusaders and the All Blacks.
‘‘It is always hard leaving a place I have been a part of for a number of years. Right now, to be honest, it just a decision being made and I am sure when we get to the end of the season with the Crusaders and All Blacks there will be different emotions coming on then.’’
Read was scheduled to make his return to the Crusaders for the round-five game against the Highlanders, but that has been delayed by a week or two.
‘‘I just sat down and looked at all the different aspects of making a decision – it really stood out.’’