Leading The Next Generation

Kieran Read Won His '4 100th Cap Against the Lions and While the Series Was Drawn, the All Blacks No 8 Has Everything He Needs to Push on and Become a Great Leader.

- Gregor Pauls

Adding a Lions series victory to his two World Cup triumphs was what Kieran Read was hoping for. It would have come with extra special significance as Read won his 100th cap on the night the series should have been decided.

What a way to write himself into the record books as one of the All Blacks greats - captain the side to a series victory on the same night he became just the seventh New Zealander to hit the century of caps.

That would have been the way for Read to unequivocally establish himself as one the All Blacks' most legendary figures.

But alas, it wasn't to be. He so nearly got there, not quite. He didn't fail, but nor did he succeed as, of course, the All Blacks drew with the Lions in the Eden Park decider and shared the series.

Shared the series..? What to make of that? How does that leave Read to be placed in history and the All Blacks judged?

Dealing with the latter first, it says a few things. The first is that in the second two tests, a relatively young and inexperienced All Blacks side made a handful of mistakes that reflected where they are in their development.

In Wellington, obviously, the All Blacks were hampered by the red card shown to Sonny Bill Williams. No complaints with the decision and no question the All Blacks showed incredible heart, courage and resilience to keep themselves in the game for as long as they did.

They had to play for 55 minutes a man down - technically it was only 45 because the Lions had a yellow card at one stage - and yet they still managed to put themselves in a position to win it. With 10 minutes left, they were well ahead, yet they could have been out of sight. They could have been home and hosed were it not for the fact they had tightened their range of vision.