Where are they now? New Zealand’s XV on Kieran Read’s debut in 2008
The former All Blacks skipper donned the black jersey for the first time against Scotland in 2008
Credit: 1NEWS TVNZ
Kieran Read’s list of honours is so long it deserves it’s own Wikipedia entry.
Among the extensive highlights are the 100 Test Match starts, two World Cups and a World Rugby Player of the Year award in 2013 to go alongside his extensive Rugby Championship and Super Rugby titles.
Despite his immense talent, no-one would have predicted the impact Read would have on New Zealand rugby way back when he made his debut on a chilly evening at Murrayfield in November 2008.
Read also confirmed this week he will return to the Mitre 10 Cup this year after signing with Counties Manukau.
The COVID-19 outbreak saw the 34-year-old come back to New Zealand in March from Japan following the cancellation of this year’s Top League, but will head back to play for Toyota Verblitz in 2021.
We’ve taken a look back at the side which secured the 32-6 victory on his All Blacks bow, which was part of a clean sweep of all the British Isles teams as England, Wales and Ireland also suffered defeats to the All Blacks.
15 - Isaia Toeava
He accrued 37 New Zealand caps after a shock call-up for the national team as part of the 2005 autumn tour.
At only 19 years of age, he had no Super 14 experience and just eight games for Auckland but went on to collect a Rugby World Cup winner’s medal at the 2011 tournament.
Toeava moved to Japan in 2012, signing for the Canon Eagles before joining Kubota Spears two years later.
In March 2016, he continued his rugby odyssey by joining Top 14 giants Clermont before announcing this June he would play for Toulon during the 2020-21 season.
14 - Anthony Tuitavake
Scored the opener in the game after a deliciously weighted Stephen Donald cross kick was gobbled up by the giant winger before he glided past Chris Paterson.
The Auckland man represented the Highlanders and the Blues in Super Rugby, before spending three years at NEC Green Rockets after moving to Japan in 2010.
Stints at Montpellier and Racing 92 were sandwiched in before his retirement in 2018.
He now works as part of an All Blacks coaching clinic, which puts on sessions across the world, and it a part owner of new Major League Rugby (MLR) club Kanaloa Hawaii Rugby in the North American league.
13 - Richard Kahui
Another try scorer on the day, the centre/winger recently joined Western Force for their Super Rugby AU campaign.
Before that he was at Toshiba Brave Lupus in the Top League, transferring in 2013 after six years at the Chiefs.
He started every knockout game for the All Blacks in their 2011 World Cup victory, despite only picking up a modest 18 caps for New Zealand.
12 - Ma’a Nonu
Arguably one of the greatest centres to play the game. A double World Cup winner and a long time mucker of Read.
He is also something of globetrotting mercenary - spanning Japan, France and his native New Zealand.
The 103-cap power runner is one of the best linebreakers of his generation, recently joining San Diego Legion in the USA before the coronavirus pandemic saw him return to be Assistant Coach of his old club Oriental-Rongotai in Wellington.
11 - Joe Rokocoko
If you have 25 minutes, just watch the below. Need I say more.
47 All Black tries in 69 appearances is a lethal strike rate in international rugby, with the flying winger only retiring last year at the ripe old age of 36 while playing for Racing 92.
10 - Stephen Donald
From a fishing trip to the 2011 World Cup final. He was parachuted into the All Blacks XV deep in that tournament after injuries to Dan Carter, Colin Slade and Aaron Cruden, who were all ahead of him in the pecking order for the 10 shirt.
Donald said he “hadn’t kicked a ball for about six weeks” and was fishing on the Waikato River when he got the call from Graham Henry to find his boots and join the squad.
Dan Carter climbed off the bench back on that day in 2008, but Donald started the game and, like always, didn’t let his teammates down.
9 - Piri Weepu
Missed two penalties and a conversion in that 2011 final, before Donald stepped up to nail the clutch winning kick and beat France. Weepu did manage to bag the third try against the Scots back in 2008 however, so now who’s laughing?
A enigmatic figure in the game, the stocky scrumhalf has 73 caps to his name before his move over to England to play for the doomed London Welsh and then Wasps.
Transfers to the Top 14 followed before he returned home to New Zealand to turn out for local club Wairarapa Bush. He now presents a show called Piri's Tiki Tour on Maori Televsion, in which he “sets out on a tour of a different kind around Aotearoa”.
Who knew?
8 - Liam Messam
Messam was also making his debut in this game, the first of his 43 caps for the All Blacks. He is the top appearance maker for the Chiefs in their illustrious history, with 179 caps for the Waikato franchise.
After narrowly missing out the 2011 World Cup, he made the 2015 squad and attempted to make the Sevens team for the Rio Olympics. He also fought on the undercard of his great mate Sonny Bill Williams’ bout against Chauncy Welliver in 2015.
The sporting all-rounder has returned to play for Waikato in the 2020 Mitre 10 cup season , with plenty of gas left in the tank for the 36-year-old veteran.
7 - Adam Thomson
A real Cinderella story. Former All Black Thomson played for the Chiefs in this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa, two years after recovering from a serious spine injury that left him bedridden in a Tokyo hospital for two months.
Before his remarkable recovery, he gained 31 All Black caps and played for the Highlanders, Reds and Rebels in Super Rugby. Interestingly enough, he is fifth on the Highlanders record try scorers with 21. Not bad for a back rower.
6 - Kieran Read
Third on the all-time New Zealand record appearance maker list with a whopping 127, only behind Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu. A simply inspirational leader, player and all round bloke.
5 - Ali Williams
All Black Ali Williams, who has 77 caps, with former skipper Kieran Read
Credit: Fairfax/NZ
Williams has tarnished his reputation somewhat after a drug bust in Paris, where he was allegedly trying to buy cocaine, saw him sacked from Racing 92 after joining the club in an administrative role.
In his pomp though, there wasn’t a finer second-rower in world rugby. A lineout master who could tackle, carry and was solid at the set piece - Williams was the spine of that epic New Zealand team in the mid 2000s.
He’s now a pundit on Sky TV over in New Zealand, where I’m sure he is much better at commentary than BT Sport’s very own Steve McManaman and Darren Fletcher.
4 - Anthony Boric
An unsung hero - he made four appearances for the 2011 World Cup winning side, all from the bench, and has 73 Super Rugby caps for the Blues.
He also nabbed a try back during that game against Scotland, gathering a Stephen Donald offload and charging home from 30 metres.
Boric studied Civil Engineering at the University of Auckland in addition to his playing career and in 2008, the final year of his degree, got news of his All Black selection when listening to the announcement on the radio. So that’s quite sweet.
A quick stalk of his LinkedIn shows that he is now a Project Manager for Macrennie Commercial Construction Ltd based in Auckland, putting that degree and years of study to solid use.
3 - John Afoa
The grizzled veteran is still turning out for Bristol Bears in the Gallagher Premiership and will hope to add that title to his World Cup winner’s medal before he signs off.
Another Kiwi, along with Ben Atiga, Jerome Kaino, Joe Rokocoko and Anthony Tuitavake, who has invested in Kanaloa Hawaii Rugby, perhaps seeing the potential market for rugby on the island.
Afoa remains a much loved figure in the game as seen below when he recently megged Jackson Wray just for bants. Here’s hoping he sticks around for another year at the Bears.
2 - Keven Mealamu
Mealamu is second on the all-time caps for New Zealand with a whopping 132, which goes nicely with his two World Cup wins and being an all round legend of the game.
Interestingly, his father was a body building champion and worked at the local timber mill in his native Tokoroa.
Perhaps not always believing he would be destined for greatness, after finishing school Mealamu worked as an apprentice signwriter in case his rugby career did not work out.
Due to his immense ability, tackling and doggedness at the breakdown, I don’t think you had to worry about that Keven.
Now runs a gym in Auckland called FIT60 alongside his ambassadorial role with the All Blacks.
1 - Jamie Mackintosh
Nope, don’t remember much about this fella either. A quick perusal of Wikipedia shows he earned two All Blacks caps after making 89 appearances for the Highlanders and the Chiefs.
Mackintosh moved to France with Montpellier and then Pau, either side of a stint with the Ohio Aviators in MLR in 2016.
The burly 6’4” and 290 lbs prop is making a return to the USA, signing for the fantastically named Austin Gilgronis as a Player-Coach for next season.