Sonny Bill Williams is over his knee problems and will line up against the Lions at Eden Park on Wednesday.

That's one less injury concern for Steve Hansen to fret about, with Blues midfielder Sonny Bill Williams cleared for Lions liftoff.

Williams passed all the necessary checks on his knee following Monday's main training hitout and Tuesday's Captain's Run to take his place in the Blues starting XV to face the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park on Wednesday night.

It's a match that should rubber-stamp Williams' inclusion in the All Blacks squad to prepare for the three-test series against the Lions after the two-time World Cup winner has come through a stop-start season, complicated by a late return from his Achilles rupture and then short spells out with a head knock and then the knee.

The All Blacks squad of 31 to face the Lions will be named on Thursday, with head coach Hansen having to make some big calls around players either on the long-term injury list or just picking up fresh dings in Super Rugby, as Ryan Crotty did at the weekend with his rib cartilage.

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Blues assistant coach Alistair Rogers confirmed after Tuesday's Captain's Run that Williams was ready to take his place in midfield alongside George Moala to face the Lions.

"Sonny has come through really well. He came through yesterday pretty good. When he cooled down last night he was feeling really good and he looked very fresh out there this morning.

"We're please he's in and look forward to seeing him go."

Rogers said the expectation was that Williams would deliver his usual high-level performance.

"The key thing for Sonny is he comes with a certain skillset and attributes and we want to see that, as long as it sticks within what we're trying to achieve and the patterns we're trying to play. His communication is very good and brings a lot of comfort to those around him.

"We just want to see the simple things, but the simple things done extremely well."

The Blues are the first of New Zealand's five Super Rugby teams to get a crack at the Lions and will be highly motivated to achieve the feat after te disappointments of another Super Rugby season that has come up short of the playoff grade.

BLUES: Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams Rieko Ioane, Stephen Perofeta, Augustine Pulu; Steven Luatua, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Scott Scrafton, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons (capt), Ofa Tu'ungafasi. Reserves: Hame Faiva, Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Patrick Tuipulotu, Kara Pryor, Sam Nock, Ihaia West, TJ Faiane.

BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: Leigh Halfpenny, Jack Nowell, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; CJ Stander, Justin Tipuric, James Haskell, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Ken Owens (capt), Jack McGrath. Reserves: Rory Best, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Iain Henderson, Peter O'Mahony, Greig Laidlaw, Johnny Sexton, Liam Williams.