Birthday cards from his kids helped All Blacks' Kieran Read move past bitter taste of defeat

Birthday cards from his children put the loss to England in the Rugby World Cup semi-final in perspective for All Blacks captain Kieran Read.

The 19-7 defeat to England was not the present Read would have wanted for his 34th birthday, but that disappointment was changed when he got back to his hotel room.

“The fact that it was my birthday yesterday, I get back to the hotel room and there are cards from my kids waiting for me so it changes things, it put things in perspective,” he told media.

“It’s a rugby game and people care, we care.

“You enjoy moments. For me, I am a dad and for me [it's], first and foremost, the thing I want to remembered by.”

Read added that the messages of support were helping him and the team get over the defeat.

“It's way bigger than the individual. It’s way bigger than myself. The amount of positive messages that have come through from people you care about, it helps.”