Kieran Read warns young All Blacks ahead of South African tour
Kieran Read says young All Blacks players face a tough challenge on New Zealand’s traditional South Africa tour.
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Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read believes New Zealand’s younger players are set for a major test when they experience a traditional South Africa tour for the first time.
Kieran Read Warns Young All Blacks
Read said the upcoming Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour will expose several younger All Blacks to one of the toughest challenges in world rugby.
New Zealand are set to spend almost seven weeks in South Africa, playing four United Rugby Championship club fixtures before facing the Springboks in a four-Test series.
The schedule has been compared to old-style rugby tours, where teams had to manage travel, hostile crowds, physical club matches and high-pressure Tests over several weeks.
South Africa Tour Brings Unique Challenge
The former No 8 said altitude changes the way matches are played and adds another layer of difficulty for visiting teams.
However, Read also noted that the core of New Zealand’s Test side is likely to include players who already have experience playing in South Africa.
“It’s a big deal and it’s not easy,” said Read on The Good, The Bad and Rugby Australia and New Zealand podcast.
“Playing at altitude is a different game to what you usually get. So for a number of guys who haven’t been there and played in that environment, it’s going to be a challenge.
“But I think across the squad, the majority of the 23 will be guys who’ve been there and played there.”
All Blacks Face Rugby Tradition
Read said New Zealand players have missed out on experiencing one of rugby’s great traditions in recent years.
He pointed to the passion of South African supporters and the importance of the early tour matches as key parts of the challenge. According to Read, those fixtures will help younger All Blacks understand what makes touring South Africa so special.
“It’s a loss for us as New Zealand players that we haven’t had a chance to be able to go across and experience the crowd, the passion that South Africans bring, which makes those first few games so important.
“There’s nothing better for an All Black.”
The series between South Africa and New Zealand will kick-start on 7th August with the first of the four Tests scheduled to be played in Johannesburg on 22nd August.
