New Zealand captain Kieran Read says his side will go into their final Rugby Championship clash against South Africa in Durban with clear heads following a tough week that saw halfback Aaron Smith sent home.
Smith received a one-match suspension from New Zealand Rugby after admitting he had a liaison with a female in a disabled toilet while on team duty at Christchurch airport last month.
Read avoided referring directly to the incident at his captain’s news conference in Durban on Friday, but said the team were feeling no ill-effects of their hectic travel schedule and the loss of their regular number nine.
“It’s nice to get to Friday and just know we have to put the finishing touches to the preparation and go into tomorrow with clear heads,” Read said.
“We just need to turn up and play our brand of rugby. Right now we are in a good space.”
The All Blacks are chasing a 17th Test win in a row, which would equal a record mark for top-tier rugby nation they have achieved twice before.
“History suggests it’s pretty tough to move past this level where we are at now,” Read said.
“We want to go and get 17, but you can’t be thinking about records once you are on the field.”
Read disagrees with former All Black World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry that the Boks are on a downward spiral, despite a difficult year for the side in which they have lost three times in the Rugby Championship.
“Graham Henry likes making remarks about opposition teams to be honest,” Read said with a chuckle.
“We truly respect them. The history of our two teams, we know how much it means to put on the Springbok jumper, which is the same as the All Black jumper for us.”
The number eight said the All Blacks were expecting a fast match and are ready for a physical forward challenge.
Muzzo
Guest
Maybe so Mark, but that kind of thing, getting out into the general public, is not a good showing, especially, for a body as well known as the NZRU. Even, the great Piney was not that complimentary, of that particular woman.
Mark
Guest
Muz - in my business life i've witnessed that getting offside with the CEO's wife is fair more dangerous than upsetting the CEO. If you a good employee the boss will forgive you in time... but the wife will be in the boss's ear night and day to get her pound of flesh... and the boss so often finds another reason to sack the offender, just to shut the missus up.
Muzzo
Guest
Yep, get that flu right, moa, it's a long night tonight, mate.
Machpants
Roar Guru
Aaron wasn't sent home, he requested to go after it all came out to deal with GF fallout.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Never underestimate the damage the dreaded man flu can wreak Moaman.
Muz
Guest
It ain't Sunday school Millsy. Pretty sure he'll be back against the wallabies. If not then the one after that.. The best half back in the world won't be getting any marching orders for getting caught with his pants down.
moaman
Roar Guru
Chook/Muzz Thanks for your concern....only a cold but serves me right for braggin' I got through winter unscathed. ;-)
moaman
Roar Guru
3rd time in recent memory they have notched up 15+ LARA...that is the epitome of 'consistent'.
Muzzo
Guest
Well Mark, I'll give you two examples of players from the past that fall into what you have stated. One player, got his marching orders, for leaving a cranky teammate, hanging by the shirt, from a coat hook, in the changing rooms, the other was "dismissed", for telling the NZRU's CEO's wife, to "get F...., not knowing she was his wife. This after a apology from that certain player, after accidentally bumping her, at a after match function. She chose to make an issue of the accident. As I say, let's hope times have changed, in respect to Aaron.
Muzzo
Guest
Maybe so, Shane, as I mentioned, there have been quite a few in the past, that have received their marching orders, for far less. Hopefully, times have changed.
Muzzo
Guest
Oh yeh Chook, fully dried out, in more ways than one. All ready for the early morning kick off, at sea level, then should be ready for Twickers. Big night Buddy.
Lara
Guest
ABs looking at another 17 straight wins, you got to hand it to them for consistency.
Jacko
Guest
He will certainly stand out when he is in white and his team mates are in black.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Smith will be back in the AB's after giving a 'full & frank' apology to the team, the NZRU, the sponsors, the supporters the nation, God etc. He will be back in black a lot quicker than he will be back in the arms of his partner.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Played an away game.
The Neutral View From Sweden
Guest
I hope you have heating and light inside your cave...
Mark
Guest
Wow Millsyyou must be saint wko has never had sex out of wedlock??. Most of the blokes reading this site would have had an illicit quickie at some time in their life. I certainly have. Just lucky i'm not a high profile footy player. Did Aaron break any laws. No. Did he injure anyone other than his girlfriend's feelings? And his family's dignity? No Two match suspension at most
James in NZ
Guest
He cried on TV for being a young sports star guy, with fame, money, being super fit with high testosterone and giving into temptation. Hopefully that will be enough to appease the PC gods, but the AB brand management team, well, that could be another matter.
James in NZ
Guest
If I was AS, I'd be more worried about my family and his girlfriend's judiciary.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Depending on your perspective and / or morals the answer lies somewhere between 'nothing' through to the breaking of one of the 10 commandments.?