Rugby: Five candidates to replace Kieran Read as next All Blacks captain

Name: Focus: All Blacks captain Kieran Read to stand down after World Cup
Uploaded: 2019-03-06T18:42:33+13:00
Duration: 148 s
Description: Kieran Read will walk away from the All Blacks after this year's World Cup, and take up a short stint in Japan.

By Christopher Reive

Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·

6 Mar, 2019 03:30 AM2 mins to read

Kieran Read will walk away from the All Blacks after this year's World Cup, and take up a short stint in Japan.

Following the announcement that Kieran Read will continue his career abroad, here are five candidates to take over as All Black captain:

Sam Cane

Cane seems to be the most logical choice. He's got captaincy experience with the Chiefs, he's been around the All Blacks set up for long enough and at 27 he's still young enough to likely be around for a few more years. He's had plenty of time to see how Read has gone about his business and after captaining the Chiefs, filling the void that Read would leave is the next obvious step in his career.

Dane Coles

Sure Coles has had his injury concerns, but given he's re-signed with New Zealand Rugby until 2021, he has claims to take on the captaincy at least as a short-term option for the All Blacks. One of the more experienced players in the national system, he'd fall into the captaincy roll seamlessly if called upon.

TJ Perenara

At the end of 2019, TJ Perenara will likely take the reins as the All Blacks first-choice No9, if he hasn't already done so beforehand. Another young candidate with captaincy experience at Super Rugby level, there's no doubt he'd be a capable replacement for Read; he's proven over his career he's comfortable having a dialogue with referees, after all.

Beauden Barrett / Brodie Retallick

Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett are both yet to commit past 2019. Photo / Photosport

Yet to commit to their futures after the 2019 season, should Barrett and Retallick stay on home shore they'll both be prime candidates to take on the captaincy. Already charge with steering the ship's attack, it's hard to imagine the added responsibility the captaincy would affect Barrett too much, while Retallick has captaincy experience and is the lead-from-the-front kind of player you want at the helm.