Quick Facts
Biography
Kieran Read (born 26 October 1985) is the captain of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby union team. He also plays for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition. He was the IRB Player of the Year in 2013 and a key member of 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup winning teams, becoming one of only 20 dual Rugby World Cup winners.
He supplanted Rodney So'oialo as the All Blacks' first-choice number 8 in 2009. After occasionally captaining the team at times when Richie McCaw was unavailable, he was appointed to the full captaincy before the 2016 test season.
Early life
Read played his childhood rugby in the small town of Drury in the Counties Manukau region, just south of Auckland. He attended Opaheke Primary School (where his mother taught) and Rosehill College, with a one-year interlude at Saint Kentigern College in 2000. Read excelled in all aspects of school life, but especially on the sports field. He gained excellent marks through to the end of seventh form. He was Head Boy of the 2000-student Rosehill College, as well as Sportsman of the Year and Sports All-rounder of the Year. Read was a talented cricketer, representing Northern District age-group teams and being selected for the New Zealand Under-17 tournament side in 2002.
Rugby career
Provincial
Despite his age-group success as a cricket batsman, Read focused his efforts on rugby. One year after leaving school, he began his professional career in the Canterbury development squad. Read played his first National Provincial Championship game in 2006, his second year out of college.
Super Rugby
Read played for the Crusaders in the Super 14 in 2007 as a blindside flanker. He moved to number 8 during the 2008 season, culminating in the squad winning the Super Rugby title.
He first captained the side in 2011, standing in for an injured Richie McCaw. In 2012, Read led the team for their first 10 matches while McCaw was rested. In 2013, another extended rest for McCaw saw Read named captain, although he missed six consecutive games with a toe injury.
All Blacks
Read was first selected for the All Blacks for the end-of-season tour in 2008, making his debut against Scotland on 8 November. In 2009 he became the All Blacks' first-choice number 8, displacing veteran Rodney So'oialo.
In 2010, Read was named New Zealand Rugby Player of the Year.
Read was named in the All Blacks for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which was hosted by New Zealand. He played in four of the team's seven matches – the pool game against Canada, the quarter-final against Argentina, the semi-final against Australia, and the final against France. The All Blacks became world champions for the second time by beating France 8-7 in the final.
Read became the 66th All Blacks captain when he led the team against Italy at Rome's Olympic Stadium in 2012, helping to win the match 42–10. He captained the side in later matches when regular captain Richie McCaw was not playing.
On 15 June 2013, Read played his 50th test, which coincided with All Blacks' 500th test match, in the second game of the series between New Zealand and France at AMI Stadium. The All Blacks won 30–0.
Read won the 2013 IRB Player of the Year title, becoming the third New Zealander to win the award. He also won the top national rugby player award.
On 17 June 2015, against Argentina at Christchurch, Kieran Read scored his 18th try and moved past former All Black Zinzan Brooke as the most prolific try-scoring New Zealand Number 8 at test level.
Read played in all seven All Blacks matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which was held in England and ultimately won by New Zealand. He captained the side against Tonga when Richie McCaw was rested.
As of 2015, Read had captained the All Blacks nine times in his 84 tests. In 2016, he was promoted from vice-captain to permanent captain, succeeding flanker McCaw.
Personal life
Read is married to Bridget Read (née Funnell). They have two daughters - Elle and Eden, and a son Reuben.