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All Black number eight Kieran Read poses
with the Webb Ellis Cup

Kieran Read came home to Christchurch today. Hero's welcomes aren't new to him now but the reception from a city broken by 12 months of earthquakes would have put into sharp relief just what the All Blacks have achieved.

Read, who turned 26 today, went through a range of emotions after the final whistle on Sunday night, and will do so again in the Garden City. At Eden Park he jumped into the air with a two-fist salute to the crowd and was "pretty close'' to shedding a tear or two at the relief of winning the World Cup after a 24-year drought for New Zealand.    

"Just seeing the boys, and being around them, that's what makes you emotional and so much has gone on,'' he said. "I don't think we could have not won, it just wouldn't have been right. It was pretty great for us to get up and do it." "For myself, you knew how much it meant to the country. Obviously coming from Christchurch, how disappointed they've been, missing out and everything going on so I suppose it was for the whole of New Zealand that drove you to succeed.''  

Read made his intentions clear right from the kick-off against France, colliding with a white-shirted forward when charging and leaping for the ball only to miss and clatter to the ground.    

He was at his best with the ball in hand, running hard and straight at the French defence as he attempted to put his team on the front foot. His loose forward opposites Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Bonnaire and Imanol Harinordoquy defended effectively - and savagely at times - but Read never wavered.  

He is a favourite in Christchurch now. Not only is he a world champion, he has lived in the city for five years and has led the Canterbury and Crusaders teams after making the move from Pukekohe. Cantabrians and the whole of New Zealand warm to his ready smile and simple approach to life and rugby.  

As Read said, it has been a year he will never forget and today's celebrations in Christchurch with the All Blacks will contribute to a monumental 12 months. It was Read who organised the Crusaders' earthquake relief effort in February which began in his suburb of Shirley. The aftermath of the earthquakes should have wrecked the Crusaders' season, but following the abandonment of their Hurricanes round-robin game the weekend after the tragedy of February 22, the team made the Super Rugby final, losing to the Reds in Brisbane in July after a worldwide odyssey.  

To make matters more interesting, he was a doubt for the World Cup after injuring an ankle in the final All Blacks Tri Nations test against Australia and entered the tournament after missing the pool games against Tonga, Japan and France.   

With many years of rugby ahead, and the one most likely to replace Richie McCaw as All Blacks' captain, a slightly underdone Read is better than no Read at all.    

"I suppose to win a World Cup medal, I'd leave it exactly how it was,'' he said. "It's a great way to end the year. I'll never forget this year, it's been a hell of a ride.''  

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