Kieran Read named Officer of the NZ Order of Merit
Former All Black captain and NZRPA board member Kieran Read has been named an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit for his services to rugby in the Queen’s Birthday honours list.
The 34-year old No 8 has been a massive contributor to the game both on and off the field, having played 127 All Black tests spanning over three world cups. He was part of the Rugby World Cup winning teams in 2011 and 2015 and captained the team in the 2019 competition. The No 8 was the leader of the All Blacks for 52 tests and is the third highest capped All Black in history.
A humbled Read said, "This is a great honour, but I really need to thank all those who have been on this journey with me, including my family, team mates and those involved in the game, especially the fans. It is a privileged to be included in this special list and I would like to acknowledge the other recipients for their impressive contributions to our country."
The South Auckland born, former Rosehill College student was part of the Crusaders team who won four Super Rugby titles and was named the IRB World Rugby Player of the Year in 2013.
Off the field, Read has been a strong advocate for the game representing the players on the New Zealand Rugby Players Association board and has been an ambassador for the NZRPA in their Education Legacy projects and the Child Cancer Foundation.
The father of three who is currently studying his second qualification has also played for the New Zealand U 21, Junior All Blacks, Canterbury, Counties Manukau and now plays in Japan for Toyota.
