All Blacks: No holiday for Kieran Read

Kieran Read, Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith were the only players in the All Blacks' squad to bypass provincial duty. Photo / Getty Images

Aftershocks, ante-natal classes and anaerobic workouts ensure Kieran Read hasn't exactly been on holiday since the All Blacks completed a triumphant Tri-Nations rugby campaign in Sydney last month.

There was a vacation on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and a couple of rounds at the Christchurch Golf Club but in the main the No 8 has been focusing on impending fatherhood and helping maintain the All Blacks' high standards on and end of year tour which starts against the Wallabies at Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday.

Read, Richie McCaw and Conrad Smith were the only players in the 30-man squad to bypass provincial duty before assembling and leaving Auckland - Daniel Carter, Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore were also unavailable as they recover from injuries.

It was the first time Read has had a mid-season break and although lacking match fitness he was confident of lasting the distance alongside McCaw and the other member of New Zealand's premier loose trio, Jerome Kaino.

"I'm feeling really good. Obviously it's hard to judge when you haven't played a game but I had a good hit out in the trial (in Auckland last Saturday)

"I've never really had time off in the middle of a season before but I do feel it's going to be as benefit," said Read, who turns 25 today.

"It's resting the body but more so the mind .... getting away from a rugby environment."

However, he could not divorce himself from the game entirely during his stand down period - after a welcome break from work and earthquake-ravaged Christchurch with wife Bridget in Australia, Read knuckled down to fitness training at Canterbury's headquarters.

"I work pretty close with the guys in Canterbury to get the conditioning back up again."

Read, who made his test debut on the corresponding Bledisloe Cup/Grand Slam tour in 2008, said he felt capable of playing on for Canterbury but acknowledged the logic in having some down time.

"Physically I could have kept playing on but you do get niggles throughout a season. At the moment I'm feeling good in that respect and mentally it's great to have a little break from the game. I'm raring to get back into it."

With the All Blacks only taking five loose forwards on the five-test tour Read said his spell could be astute given he is expecting a heavy workload.

"Only one loosie won't play each week. You've got to be ready to go out there and put the effort in .... I'm looking forward to hopefully five games."

Read can expect to play the Wallabies and England in successive Saturdays but Liam Messam and McCaw's deputy Daniel Braid may start in game three against Scotland.

Read played the first of his 25 tests at Murrayfield as Rodney So'oialo's back-up and since that tour he has steadily developed into an indispensable member of Graham Henry's first choice line-up.

It is a responsibility Read, a potential future captain, has grown accustomed to.

"Now I've got the self belief to know I'm good enough to be playing at this level. That's probably the big difference."

A significant change also looms in his personal life with Read's first-born due to arrive on Christmas Day.

Planning for parenthood was a work in progress. He attended four ante-natal classes, but missed another couple.

Grateful the tour ends in Cardiff on November 27, Read hoped he would be able to play catch up before welcoming his daughter to the world.

"I've got a bit of time when I get back, hopefully," he said.

- NZPA