Out for six weeks injured and then turn in a Man of the Match display. Kieran Read is a rugby god.
The All Blacks captain was immense as
the hosts swatted aside the game Lions' challenge at Eden Park on Saturday morning.
By the time he had departed in the 77th minute his side were 30-8 up and he had carried more than anyone else on the field, an incredible 18 times the Number 8 trucked the ball up.
Richie McCaw's successor made eight tackles - including one monster on Owen Farrell - in an immense performance as the All Blacks went toe-to-toe with a physical Lions side and wore them down.
His standout moment came in the 55th minute, when he created Rieko Ioane's first try with a sublime piece of skill from the back of an attacking scrum.
With the setpiece rumbling forwards and sideways, the number 8 controlled the ball, took it to ground and somehow delivered an offload around the corner to scrum-half Aaron Smith. From there the ball goes through hands of Israel Dagg to the speedster Ioane.
The conversion made the score 20-8 and the Lions were facing an insurmountable challenge.
https://twitter.com/PeriodismoRugby/status/878540841148723201
At first glance it is impossible to see the sleight of hand but on replay you can see how quickly Read is thinking and how we manoeuvres the ball around Conor Murray.
Needless to say the those watching, including Connacht centre Bundee Aki, were very impressed.
https://twitter.com/bundeeaki12/status/878537068967809025
https://twitter.com/JimKayes/status/878538177299927040
https://twitter.com/jacquihurley/status/878537963147231235
https://twitter.com/Dennis_R_M/status/878537727947526144
https://twitter.com/CharlieFelix/status/878537552696881152
https://twitter.com/BreytonPaulse/status/878537410627424256
