’Whinger’ Read has grounds to grumble

THERE was a big push by the All Blacks to take their defeat by Ireland on the chin because they are keen not to be seen as whingers. However, by the end of the week the veneer was wearing thin.

Kieran Read, whose form and captaincy credentials are under fire in the Dublin aftermath, raised the thorny issue of tactical injury breaks in the second-half. He said it was hard to get going, “because it ended up being a bit of a stopstart affair”.

Read added: “The Irish were able to control the tempo of the game – and they were able to go down with an injury break at almost every stoppage. It slows the tempo down, and affects your momentum and doesn't let you get into the game.”

He continued: “It is all a scoreboard thing. Teams don't do that to you if you are in front because they want to chase the game. Maybe they have a ploy to halt our momentum.”

Read has a point. Tactical injury breaks are sharp practice and ruin the flow of a game, and referees should be campaigning for players who do not require stretchers to move to the sidelines for treatment.

Ireland had one player after another taking the knee to be treated by medics.

It smacked of gamesmanship – and, where New Zealand are concerned, of the biter bit.