All Blacks stand-in captain Kieran Read has declared himself a likely starter for the Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in La Plata after fighting the effects of a stomach bug.
Read didn’t attend New Zealand’s final training run on Thursday, two days out from the Test, but told journalists on Friday he thought he would be ready to play his 56th Test.
The No.8 said he still wasn’t feeling 100 per cent well but had improved.
He was to make a decision about his availability at the team’s light run at the Estadio Unico de La Plata venue 24 hours before kickoff.
Read’s recovery is important to the All Blacks as they have threadbare loose forward resources at their disposal.
Among the five loose forwards is regular captain Richie McCaw, who is recovering from a knee injury which ruled him out of selection for this Test.
If he is unavailable, Read’s spot at the back of the scrum would go to Liam Messam, who would shift from the blindside flank.
Steven Luatua, who is named in the reserves, would then come onto the side of the scrum but coach Steve Hansen would be left without loose forward backup on his bench.
Hooker Dane Coles would probably come into the squad as a reserve loose forward.