A 100th Test cap, as incumbent All Blacks skipper, in a British and Irish Lions Test series decider, at a rocking Eden Park.
It doesn’t get much bigger for any rugby player – yet an ever-modest Kieran Read says Saturday’s clash will likely feel no different to the time he first pulled on the black jumper, against Scotland in Edinburgh, nine years ago.
The 31-year-old Read will become the seventh Kiwi to earn a silver 100th cap this weekend, following in the footsteps of former teammates Mils Muliaina, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock.
It’s a milestone that hasn’t been lost on his teammates and coach Steve Hansen, who have talked up Read’s mana ahead of his centurion performance.
Yet the Crusaders loose forward handled the issue in his usual unflappable manner on Friday, saying it evoked similar feelings to his first Test.
“Your first one, you’re pretty nervous, pretty excited, and I don’t think that’s really changed to be honest,” Read told reporters.
“I’ll be rocking up tomorrow and I’ll have a few butterflies in the stomach, but overriding that is the excitement of why you do this. I don’t get sick of pulling on the jersey and going out and playing.
“It’s a pretty cool place to be – I never expected to be in this position, I guess. The biggest thing for me is to go out there and do my bit.”
Born and raised in Drury, south of Auckland, Read travelled south to Canterbury to make his rugby mark and has since won almost everything in the game – from two World Cups to Rugby Championships and a Super Rugby title.
Yet, having fallen to the Lions 24-21 in Wellington last week, Saturday’s third Test takes on extra significance for the skipper, as well as responsibility.
It’s his last remaining chance to secure a Lions Test series victory.
“There’s not much panic, I think,” Read said.
“We can’t just go rewrite the books and change things. We probably got caught a little bit in the conditions and got stuck in ourselves, and we’ve got to go out there and play our game, that’s the most important thing.
“You come off a loss and there’s certainly a bit of edge around, guys want to get back out there and have another crack. Fortunately, we’ve got that opportunity.”
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