All Blacks: Read is rated best at the back

Kieran Read has the ability to create passes from nothing and show calmness under immense pressure

If you want to know the value of a man, do not listen to what he says about himself; listen to what people say about him.

Which is why when Lawrence Bruno Nero Dallaglio decides to give you his opinion about Kieran Read, the All Blacks No8, you tend to prick up your ears.

"He's better than Buck Shelford and Zinzan Brooke," was Nero's simple point.

I nearly spat out my pint. These are globally recognised icons of the game. Buck Shelford did not know the meaning of the words fear or pain. Zinzan Brooke could drop a goal from 40 metres in a World Cup semifinal. But Dallaglio was not to be swayed, and when someone who bowed to no one or rarely gave plaudits to men in the same position he dominated, you begin to understand just how good Read is.

On the Monday after the Twickenham game, I got another chance to see how people rate Read, and how much he means to this All Black team. At the inaugural IRB World Rugby Conference and Exhibition, Richie McCaw was set to give up the Webb Ellis Cup, releasing it from New Zealand's grip to the safekeeping of Bernard Lapasset, the IRB chairman.

McCaw was the main draw and descended the stairs of the venue like Darth Vader with the trophy.

Grown men and women gasped as the great one walked into a gathering of 600. Cameras went potty, Richie stayed as calm as ever.

When the rush calmed down, I asked him about Read and the positive aspects of his game.

Richie skipped and danced between tributes, the leadership that Read shows, his ability to perform under the most intense physical pressure, the high levels of consistency, the ability to create passes from nothing.

Richie is a great speaker, captain and ambassador. But he does not gush and does not do false praise. It is not the All Black way. Even so, you could sense the pride that McCaw has in not only the quality of Read as a player, but also for his role in helping to create such a special player.

So why does this matter, why the eulogy for Read? For the simple reason that if New Zealand beat Ireland tonight, they will have 14 wins out of 14 this year and that is a very special stat. At the heart of what they do is Read. Be as cynical as you want about their dressing room hyperbole, about being the most dominant team in history. But do not pretend that in Read, the All Blacks have anything less than a once in a generation player in his position.

Four examples of Read's value:

1. The most recent was at Twickenham. Early on with a dart up the short side, he drew three defenders and as the darkness of the tackle and touchline crashed in around him, he produced a delicate inside flick that had Julian Savea walking in for the try untouched. The crowd silenced, New Zealand in the driving seat.

2. At the Stade de France, with the score 19-12 and the French right in it, the All Blacks were under pressure. Then the width came from New Zealand. Charles Piutau took defenders on and got in a wonderful offload. But it was high, it was behind Read, the pitch was damp, the ball was greasy. Read stretched out his right hand like a basketball player, snagged it, dashed and scored. Game over.

3. In New Zealand during the Rugby Championship, Argentina were leading 7-3. From the back of a lineout Read broke down the short side. Two defenders enveloped him, but his right hand got beyond the tackle, lifted the ball into space, knowing and sensing that Aaron Smith had looped round. Smith dived in untouched. Back in the game.

4. In Ellis Park, South Africa sensed an opportunity to burst the invincibility bubble. Read picked up space in wide channels and burst clear of Willem Alberts with a great hand-off, stretched his legs, and takes on Bryan Habana. Runs hard and straight, draws him in, and out of the back of the hand releases Ben Smith, who dashes and scores. Initiative grabbed.

Key moments, key contributions, all down to Read. Few players have that ability and very few of them can deliver the magic with such consistency. That is what makes him such a class act; his ability to deliver day in, day out, game in, game out.

The All Blacks have an unbelievable kicking and kick chase game. Their breakdown work is physically obscene. The forwards all handle brilliantly well. They have big players in big positions such as Brodie Retallick, Ben Franks and Liam Messam. Their back three are lethal when they have a sniff. They can fit in around each other and bring in replacements and still look seamless. But for this to work, you need someone like Read, the metronome who makes the All Blacks tick.

If Ireland are to become the first team to beat New Zealand this year then they will need to find a way to make him miss a beat, or it will be more of the same. Daily Telegraph