All Black Kieran Read fears an England backlash

Keep the faith: Kieran Read is backing Martin Johnson to inspire England

13 April 2012

Kieran Read has warned his New Zealand team-mates to be wary of England on Saturday, even though the All Blacks are the No1 team in the world.

Martin Johnson's team were booed off the pitch at half-time during their 16-9 win over Argentina - a victory that lifted them from eighth to sixth place in the new rankings - yet Read feels this will count for little at Twickenham at the weekend.

He said: "Teams that get bagged normally come out and put in a good performance. We have to be wary of that. England are going to be up for it at Twickenham on Saturday. It's our job to be ready for a team that are going to come out all fired up.

"There is never an easy time to play England at Twickenham but they will have their backs to the wall.

"They'll be dangerous, so it's going to be a good game. They will be fired up and we have to match that. England are going to be putting their bodies on the line."

Read, who could get the No8 jersey ahead of Rodney So'oialo, is backing Martin Johnson to inspire England. He added: "It's always tough when you pin it all on a coach. I don't think it's probably right for Martin, the team's performances are what count at the end of the day.

"Martin can turn it around. As a player, he always kept coming and he's not going to lie down."

Keane admits there is little doubt where the main threat will come on Saturday. "They do base their game on the forwards, so we've got to expect that," he said.

"They are going to try to take us on up front and they have a great kicker in Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half, so we have to be wary of that gameplan."

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