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'This guy is intimidating': Kieran Read reveals his toughest opponent

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

As he prepares for life away from the All Blacks, departing New Zealand skipper Kieran Read has opened up about the opponents he found the toughest to face throughout his career.

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Speaking to Newstalk ZB while promoting his his new biography ‘Straight 8‘, Read named two former teammates who he labelled as “intimidating” to play against in his early years as a professional rugby player.

“Probably not too many internationally actually,” he said when asked about his toughest international opponents.

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“Certainly when you come up against Jerome Kaino and Jerry Collins when I first came along, that was someone where I was like ‘man this guy is intimidating’. Those two probably [are the toughest].”

The 34-year-old also showed some of his personality in the wide-ranging interview as he revealed his love for golf and music, two hobbies he’ll look to indulge in before moving to Japan to join Top League club Toyota Verblitz.

“I enjoy golf but I haven’t been able to play it to be honest for the last few years with my injuries … I’m up and down as everyone is. I’m looking forward to getting into that again.

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“Also I love music actually. It’s probably the thing I escape with.

“Probably [my favourite] band is The Killers. But I love The Beatles. Tom Petty I absolutely love as well.”

Read also dropped a hint as to what the future holds for him once his playing days are over.

“I’m unsure exactly,” he said of his post-rugby ambitions.

“But I do enjoy sport. I studied towards that and leadership as well. Wellbeing is what I’m interested in. So not necessarily something in sport but something around leadership would be ideal for me. I’m exploring a few different options in that area.”

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M
MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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