Kieran Read

This guy that you look up to as a teenager and then get to have a career with him and have all that success.

What a combo.

Okay.

Steve Hansen probably he definitely pushed me in the ABs like I hadn't played number 8 for Crusaders before I started number 8 for the All Blacks you know like hadn't called the line outs until I was calling the line outs for the All Blacks yeah

So, yeah, it put me in positions where I had to challenge myself.

And so, yeah, someone who was very intuitive.

We certainly had a pretty good relationship, but in some ways, good competitive relationship as well.

And had to be, had to challenge each other, especially when I became captain and coach.

Oh, I didn't.

Hamill wasn't there for me.

He was coaching me.

Oh, he was gone.

He coached me.

But no, the guy who punched me in the nose was Kevin O'Neill.

Oh, was it?

He won my first few games for university.

Yeah.

This young pup who comes down from...

counties yeah into the academy you know like playing prim rugby yeah and back in those days club rugby was a bit old school yeah so yeah that was kevin o'neill he just what got you in iraq punch just got me in iraq punched me in the nose i was just kind of like okay sweet bro i kind of like just just kind of ran off because i didn't react i wasn't that type of guy i was just like okay man you're all good fair enough i just yeah just carried on with the game

And I think I earned a bit of respect out of that.