Pieces of Eight

Cant wait to see Read's impact in the Nov internationals.  He has moved on as a player since last meeting any northern oppostion and his wide ranging game, freeing up wingers down the outside lanes is incomparable in today's game.

For those of you who haven't followed AB rugby that long you wouldn't know the story behind the Bring Back Buck campaign.

An inspirational captain who re-entered a game after having a testicle placed back in its scrotum and stitched up, making the list of 7 Most Horrific "Man Injuries" In Sports, only to have some teeth knocked out.  The man who reinvented the All Black Haka unwittingly propelling the brand to greater heights, and who spurred the birth of the Bring Back Buck campaign which lives to this day since his dropping in 1990.

An up and coming #8 in Zinzan Brooke who lacked that raw edge but had all the skills of an outside back.  Rumour has it that Buck was dropped to keep Zinny in the "amateur" game (he had just signed with Manly Sea Eagles before asking Graham Lowe to rip up the contract) by giving him the All Black jersey.  This certainly played a part but the snake in the grass was team mate Gary Whetton who long held aspirations to be the All Black captain, even going as far as to jettison Shelford's role in the French Barbarians match versus the ABs.

However, Zinny went on to become the world's best ever number 8.  A player so competitive he would challenge Grant Fox and company at Auckland to goalkicking contests, and we can all remember his mammoth international drop goals against South Africa and England.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdo2nsr_b0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0nfYW-wIZ4

My question to you is,....is Kieran Read already the world's best ever eightman?