Kieran Read - Straight 8

As Kieran Read prepares to call time on his distinguished New Zealand career at the end of the Rugby World Cup, this is the open and honest life story of one of rugby''s greatest players, a legendary All Black and a two-time World Cup winner. Kieran Read first played for the All Blacks as a 23-year-old in 2008 and since then has amassed more than a century of Test appearances in the famous jersey. Now, after a stellar provincial, club and international career - including back-to-back World Cup victories - the New Zealand captain writes openly and honestly about his time in the game. Read takes to these pages with his trademark determination, lifting the lid on the unique pressures of succeeding as captain the most celebrated All Black of all time (Richie McCaw). He outlines the decisions that molded his career and uncovers the skills of the coaches who shaped him, while offering readers an inside account of how the world''s greatest team functions and thrives. Read unpacks the emotional toll of injury and the