Kieran Read New All Black Captain

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The All Blacks coach Steve Hansen confirmed the first of his major rebuilding decisions following back-to-back World Cup victories with the expected naming of Kieran Read as the next national captain, replacing the retired Richie McCaw.

The 35-year-old McCaw, named as the 2015 New Zealander of the Year earlier this week, retired at the end of last year after leading the All Blacks to successive World Cup triumphs. He was one of six stalwarts of the team, who had cemented them as the most dominant in world rugby in the past decade, to retire after the tournament hosted by England.

“Reado’s had experience already as captain nine times,” Hansen told Radio Sport. “Whilst it will be a new experience to be there full-time, at least he’s had a taste of it.“

Hansen, who has said he was more than likely to step down after next year’s British and Irish Lions tour, has been rebuilding the side since he took over in 2012 and now has a core of players boasting more than 30 international caps.

The 30-year-old Read’s anointment to the second-highest profile job in New Zealand, behind that of the rugby-mad country’s Prime Minister, had been on the cards for at least three years. He first led the team on their end-of-year northern hemisphere tour in 2012 when they beat Italy 42-10.

The rangy number eight then stepped into the role three times against France in 2013 when McCaw was on a six-month sabbatical and again three times later that year when the regular skipper was out injured. Read also led the team once at last year’s World Cup, against Tonga in Newcastle.

Hansen, who was named New Zealand’s coach of the year at the country’s premier sporting awards on Thursday, added that McCaw’s understudy since 2012, Sam Cane, would be likely to fill his place as openside flanker.

The 24-year-old Cane, who has already notched up 31 test matches, has also led the side, against Namibia at the World Cup.

“Sam Cane’s had a taste of test footy and he’s raring to go,” said Hansen. “So if we’re going in with all of those things brand new then it would be a lot different but I’ve got a lot of confidence in the people that are going to step up.“

Despite Hansen’s early support, Read and Cane have young contenders pursuing them with the Auckland Blues’ Akira Ioane and Wellington Hurricanes’ Ardie Savea likely to join them in the All Blacks squad after their Olympics sevens commitments.

Savea, the younger brother of All Blacks winger Julian, already has a taste of life with the team, having gone on the side’s end of year tour in 2013 as a non-playing member.

All Blacks Maintain Record

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New Zealand avenged last year's defeat at Twickenham but were given a mighty fright by England before emerging from a titanic struggle with a 30-22 victory, their 13th in an unbeaten 2013.

England trailed 17-3 early in the game, battled back to lead 22-20 after a hour but succumbed to a ferocious finish from the All Blacks.

New Zealand went ahead early through tries from the outstanding Kieran Read and Julian Savea, but England kept in touch through a scrappy try from Joe Launchbury and the relentlessly accurate boot of Owen Farrell.

It was Farrell's sixth kick from six which edged England ahead briefly but Savea's second try and a conversion and penalty from Aaron Cruden - on as a replacement for the injured Dan Carter - kept New Zealand's unbeaten year intact.

Carter joined the ranks of rugby's Test centurions, but his afternoon lasted just 26 minutes until injury ended his involvement.

The fifth All Black to reach 100 caps contributed a penalty and two conversions before making way for Cruden.

England started brightly but the home fans were stunned into silence when their line was breached after just 105 seconds.

New Zealand broke down the left wing through Read and some naive defending saw the number eight suck in Chris Ashton, Tom Wood and Billy Vunipola.

Somehow Read slipped a pass out to the lurking Savea and the wing had the simplest of run-ins, with Carter converting.

A penalty from Farrell got England on the board and Ben Foden thought he had scored a try after intercepting and running two thirds of the pitch, but referee Craig Joubert had spotted offside. To rub salt into Foden's wound, Carter kicked the penalty.

By the 18th minute New Zealand had surged 17-3 ahead with their second try started when lock Brodie Retallick sent prop Owen Franks racing through a gap.

The ball was recycled quickly and fed right where Foden was outnumbered and Read easily loped over. Carter added the conversion.

Finally England exerted some pressure, declining a shot at goal and kicking for touch to enable their forwards to pound away at the All Blacks' line.

They appeared to have mauled their way over, but video referee Gareth Simmonds controversially refused to award the try.

The score arrived moments later, however, when the ball squirted out of a five-metre scrum, touched the boots of Chris Robshaw and Wood before falling to Launchbury who gathered it up and fell over the line.

Farrell converted and then exchanged penalties with Cruden, reducing the deficit to 20-13 and with the added benefit of Read being sent to the sin-bin for entering a breakdown from the side.

The pendulum had swung in the final 10 minutes of the first half, England's resurgence founded on their dominant pack and Joubert's willingness to penalise the All Blacks at the breakdown.

And the shift in power continued after the interval as England produced their best passage of play with their backs also involved, only for Ashton to kick the ball away.

The action was captivating as New Zealand counter-attacked, missed a penalty and then allowed increasingly influential Billy Twelvetrees to burst through their ranks.

When Ashton was illegally blocked by Wyatt Crockett as he chased his own kick, England won a penalty landed by Farrell.

Rattled New Zealand continued to be penalised at the breakdown when they conceded again, they slipped behind for the first time in the match as Farrell hit the target.

The lead lasted just four minutes, however, as the All Blacks produced a stunning response in the face of some tiring home defence.

Desperate scrambling defence kept New Zealand out in the left corner, but a brilliant offload from Ma'a Nonu gave Savea a sniff of the line and he pounced, with Cruden converting.

A penalty from Cruden put the All Blacks eight points ahead and finally England's resistance had been broken.

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