Stamping His Mark

Kieran Read, in his second season as all blacks captain, wants his team to build their own legacy.

- Patrick McKendry

Richie McCaw’s legacy was forged in the fires of one World Cup defeat and two contrasting World Cup triumphs.

Kieran Read’s greatest challenge as All Blacks captain has been to respond to Ireland’s epic victory in Chicago last year, one which the men in green deserved to win to stake their own mark in history, but one which was shocking nevertheless.

Now Read is on the brink of something else entirely. The upcoming British and Irish Lions tour is his first significant milestone event as skipper, and it could be that the defeat by a team at Soldier Field last November, which has a good representation among the tourists to New Zealand in June and July, will be good for his captaincy.

Either way, Read, now 31, has the opportunity to make his mark over three tests in a tour likely to break new ground in terms of public interest – here and abroad – and media hype.

The scrutiny on him and his team by the travelling press alone will be taken to a new level but the married father of three, who was never perturbed by the challenge of replacing McCaw or what the job entails, is likely to be relishing the opportunity to test his leadership and playing ability against one of the most talented squads to tour this country.

Putting it simply, the All Blacks, who broke new ground in defending the Webb Ellis Cup two years ago, enjoy challenges, and the job of doing themselves and their country proud against a famous old team who tour New Zealand only once every 12 years is among the biggest.

Read’s first year on the job in the post-McCaw era was an excellent one, defeat to Ireland apart. The All Blacks swept Wales 3-0 and then went to a new level in the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup series, winning every test by a healthy margin.