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Former All Black captain Kieran Read calls time on pro career following semi-final bow-out

Kieran Read. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read has officially retired from the game following Toyota Verblitz’s semifinal loss to Panasonic Wild Knights on Saturday.

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The 35-year-old confirmed ahead of the match that this would be his final season in Japan and his final season playing top-flight rugby. Following Saturday’s 48-21 defeat, Read will now return to New Zealand and is looking forward to spending time with is family.

Read played 128 matches for the All Blacks, including 52 as captain, and was a member of the 2011 and 2015 World Cup-winning sides.

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The dynamic loose forward set a new standard for No 8s around the world with his strong carrying game, excellent work in the wider channels and dependable lineout presence.

Read debuted for Canterbury in 2006 and the Crusaders a year later before earning his first All Blacks cap in 2008.

It didn’t take long for the North Island native to cement himself as one of Canterbury’s favourite sons, accumulating 38 appearances for the province as well as 156 for the Crusaders.

Read relocated to his province of birth, Counties Manukau, for the Mitre 10 Cup in 2017 but didn’t make any competition appearances for the Steelers until last year, when he returned to NZ following the cancellation of the Top League.

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Read was anointed World Rugby’s Player of the Year in 2013 and won four Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, playing his last match for the franchise in 2019.

The official Twitter accounts of the All Blacks, Wallabies and World Rugby all acknowledged Read’s retirement from the game and congratulate the loose forward for his lengthy career.

 

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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