Kieran Read: Recalled All Black can ‘knock’ the Springboks over, that’s why he is back
All Blacks flanker Ethan Blackadder and an inset of ex-captain Kieran Read.
Former All Blacks Justin Marshall and Kieran Read have backed Ethan Blackadder to shine in South Africa after earning a recall to the Test squad.
The Crusaders flanker was named in Dave Rennie’s touring party after a strong finish to the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season and has the opportunity to press for a place in the Test team again.
The 31-year-old’s career has been riddled with injuries, which have limited his involvement with New Zealand after he shone for former head coach Scott Robertson back in 2024. Blackadder was in fine form the last time the All Blacks visited South Africa, putting in a particularly strong performance in the 31-27 defeat at Ellis Park.
Ethan Blackadder’s recall
While he hasn’t earned a Test cap for the All Blacks since that day in Johannesburg two years ago, Marshall and Read believe that he can force his way back into the matchday 23 for the games versus the Springboks if he impresses in the touring matches against the URC teams.
“He has been there [South Africa], done it. He played really well at the back end of Super. You need to have guys you look around your team, and you go, ‘He’s not giving up, he’s going to go at them all day’,” former captain Read said on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby Australia & New Zealand podcast.
“As much as South Africa have shaped their game into something really nice to watch, their forward pack is running straight at you; they are not going through the gap. They’re going to find that person in front of them, and they’re going to run straight over top of you if they can, and Ethan Blackadder will not relent.
“He will go at them just as hard or more and has the ability to knock them over. I guess that’s why they’ve got him in the squad. I don’t see him necessarily right now being that player in the 23 for a Test, but you see what he does in the first few games, and he will ask a few questions of the selectors – I think.”
Ex-half-back Marshall believes that the ‘Saders back-rower will be vying for a spot on the bench to face South Africa but will need to usurp Anton Segner, who shone in his first two appearances against Italy and Ireland.
“I like the pressure he brings into that role of that bench player. Segner is filling that at the moment and thoroughly deserves what he’s been able to substantiate by being on that bench because he’s put the performances in. But that’s a spot that you could see Ethan Blackadder pushing initially,” he said.
“I don’t think there’s any question that he hasn’t earned it, and like I said last time I was out in South Africa, and the first Test at Ellis Park, he had a f-ing outstanding game. He was close to the best on the park for the All Blacks and then got injured and then didn’t play the second Test, and then was out again when they came back here.
“He went hard at them and carried hard, tackled hard and was a big influence that day.”
Kieran Read: Where the All Blacks must ‘match’ the Springboks’ ‘proven formula’
All Blacks aren’t utilising their weapons
While Rennie has won his first three Tests in charge of the All Blacks, Read believes that the new coaching team is not utilising the weapons they have in their back-five effectively.
“We need to utilise our back five in terms of our forward pack to carry the ball,” he said.
“At the moment, I’m seeing Sam Darry carrying the ball a lot, Tupou Vaa’i carrying a little bit, and I’m probably not seeing Ardie carrying the ball enough in positions where he can make an influence.
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“Sam Darry has probably been our best player in the forwards over these three Tests. Against the South Africans, they’re going to double-team him, and he probably doesn’t have that in his game to be able to be doing that all game. So I don’t know how we do it, but we need to find ways that we get our best players around the ball a bit more and utilise them.
“And I think that’s with Ardie [Savea], you see him off the back of the scrum against Ireland. That’s the first time I’ve actually really seen him do that. I’m like screaming out for them to put him there or utilise what he’s got. And that’s what he can do off the back of a maul, what he can do when he’s down a 15 metre channel or like two passes wide. So why is he not getting the ball in those positions? That’s a question we need to have answered. Against a great defence, which is what they have, we need to have our best ball carriers carrying; otherwise we will get shunted back, and we’ll get put under pressure.”
