Read’s injury regret over England loss
Kieran Read has revealed one of the many what-ifs of the All Blacks failed Rugby World Cup campaign: a calf injury the All Blacks brushed under the carpet before the loss to England in the semifinal.
The injury, which the former All Blacks captain picked up in the quarterfinal demolition of Ireland, prevented him from taking part in training during the buildup to the England clash and left the side down on leadership.
‘‘What if I had been able to train with the team that week instead of watching from the sideline?’’ Read wrote in his autobiography Straight Eight.
‘‘What if I had been out there to offer a little more direction, or reassurance, or assistance?’’
Ultimately, Read took the field against England and made no excuses about the calf or the quality of England’s performance, which he described as ‘‘simply too good’’.
Nevertheless, Read’s injury and lack of presence on the training paddock adds to the understanding of an All Blacks performance that never got out of second gear.
The All Blacks failed to fire many attacking shots in the face of England’s aggressive defence and the lineout, normally an area of strength where Read is a key figure, was under huge pressure on attack and defence.
Read was plagued by injuries in the last two years of his All Blacks career, leading critics to suggest he was past his best, but his leadership was still a crucial part of the side.
The former Crusaders No 8 has also revealed that he almost ‘‘blacked out’’ during an emotional haka before the quarterfinal against Ireland.
‘‘To illustrate just how fired up I was, I lined up to lead the haka with TJ [Perenara] and all but blacked out.
‘‘Taringa whakarongo . . . was all that would come out. At that exact moment, I lost all thought and physical response.
‘‘There was no ‘Kia rite! Kia rite! Kia mau!’ I remember seeing TJ looking at me as I regathered myself.
‘‘It felt like an age had passed by the time I snapped back to reality. ‘Kia whakawhenua au i ahau!’ It was the strangest experience of my career,’’ he wrote.