New Zealand look set for a major boost, with Kieran Read on course to face the British & Irish Lions in Saturday’s first Test at Eden Park.

The captain’s injury-hit year began with a wrist problem, while the latest setback – a broken thumb – has ruled him out since late April. The 97-cap No8 looks set to return in Auckland, with his All Blacks team-mate Sam Whitelock and the assistant coach, Ian Foster, leading acclaim for a player whose impact on the series may prove to be considerable.

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“This whole year Kieran has had bad luck through injury and he has been adding to the team, with the Crusaders and here [with the All Blacks],” Whitelock said. “Even though he hasn’t been out there on the field, it has been great having him driving those things. Now he is hopefully ready to go, he will hopefully bring that Kieran Read way of playing.

“He will lead from the front and it is awesome when he does that and he plays great rugby when he is being himself. He has always targeted this game to get back. He has had time to get his head round it and he has been working really hard with the trainer and physios to get right for this game. When he gets that opportunity, he will take it with both hands.”

Foster also delivered an upbeat fitness bulletin about Read, who took over as the captain from Richie McCaw after the 2015 World Cup. Steve Hansen will announce his starting lineup on Wednesday evening, UK time, and Read looks set to be in it.

“Firstly, he didn’t want to miss [the first Test],” Foster said. “He is desperate to play. He is our leader, so that’s natural. Secondly, the diagnosis has always been that he was going to be due to play this game, and we have been monitoring that progress versus the initial diagnosis.

“It was a little bit touch and go for last week [against Samoa] whether there was a chance to get him a few minutes under his belt. It didn’t happen, but we are pretty satisfied. He has had his first real solid hit-out with contact and everything, and hopefully he comes through that really well, and then it becomes a reasonably easy decision.”

Foster also praised Read’s captaincy. “He has been a big part of the leadership group for a long time now, and just the way he grew into the [captaincy] role last year,” Foster added. “The biggest accolade I can give him is the way he grew people around him. He has a very inclusive leadership style, encourages a lot of decision-making from the group around him and earned a lot of respect for that. To have Reado back would be a real boost for us.”

He gave short shrift to Warren Gatland’s comments about what he sees as New Zealand players illegally blocking to prevent opponents contesting possession in the air. He also claimed Hansen might be worried leading into the Test series.

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“We were apparently bad scrummagers last week,” Foster said. “This week we are bad at something else and next week I can guarantee we will be useless at something else, so that’s how I’m treating it.

“Look, there is a bit of banter going on. Obviously, he [Gatland] has tried to highlight some things he doesn’t think we are doing very well. We appreciate the feedback, but it doesn’t change much of our plan.

“In big games, you don’t get it all your own way, you don’t win every minute. Sometimes the opposition will have a surge, and it is riding through that and reimposing yourselves. Clearly we will go out trying to win every moment but this is a tough team [the Lions] who want it a lot.”