So his return to rugby this year via his University club will have afforded him more pleasure than those who turned up to watch. That's never left him even now he's won two World Cups and sits on the edge of 100 test caps. It's still all about being with his mates and seeing what he can do to help achieve the communal goal. No forward in world rugby has an offloading game in the same league as Read's. They want him to effectively be himself and to play for the All Blacks with no more complex a thought that he's there purely for the love of the game.

Source: New Zealand Herald April 08, 2017 05:17 UTC