Read, Crotty now for Japan – report

All Blacks captain Kieran Read and midfielder Ryan Crotty are off to Japanese clubs after the Rugby World Cup and Aaron Smith and Dane Coles could follow, according to European media reports.

France’s daily sports newspaper L’Equipe reported on Monday that Read would not be joining Paris club Racing 92 for the 2019-20 season and was now likely to join a Japanese club.

France’s Rugby Rama website said Read, 33, was being linked to the Toyota Verblitz club while Crotty, 30, was set to sign for the Kubota Spears in a deal to be announced this week by New Zealand Rugby.

Rugby Rama claimed Read and Crotty ‘‘should be emulated’’ by Smith, 30, and Coles, 32.

The All Blacks have traditionally lost senior players after Rugby World Cup campaigns, but the moves to Japan represent a new trend.

L’Equipe speculated that Dan Carter’s success in winning the Japan Top League title with the Kobelco Steelers after leaving Racing 92 and the shorter season and lesser physical demands might have tempted Read to make a similar move.

The Rugby Rama report claimed Racing 92 had targeted Crotty to strengthen its midfield, but then switched its sights to Read after hearing the All Blacks skipper might be available.

Racing had high hopes of signing Read after talks during the All Blacks’ European tour last November despite competition from an unnamed English club and Japan, L’Equipe reported.

‘‘But today, according to our information, the file is buried and Read would have given preference to a stopover in Japan,’’ said L’Equipe, who reported Racing had been in talks with the Crusaders back rower for several weeks.

"Is it the duration of the contract that made him think? Racing was not interested in a seven-month contract, running from the end of the 2019 World Cup to the end of the [2019-20] Top 14 season.’’

Racing owner Jacky Lorenzetti wanted Read to sign a two-and-a-half year contract ‘‘modelled on the one accepted by Dan Carter in 2015’’.

‘‘Kieran Read, who will be thirty-four years old when joining his future new team, may have preferred the lower physical requirement of the Japanese championship.’’

European media had previously speculated Read was set to earn $2 million a year from a Racing deal.