All Blacks injury Update

All Blacks' flanker Jerome Kaino has returned from injury and will be available for New Zealand's clash with Samoa this weekend.

Kaino has been out of action since April due to a minor knee surgery and the Samoa Test will be vital for him ahead of the opening Lions test eight days later.  

Captain Kieran Read and flyhalf Aaron Cruden have been ruled out of the match against Samoa but Steve Hansen is confident that the duo will be fit to face the Lions.

No cover has been called in for Cruden, who picked up a knee injury during Friday's Super Rugby match between Chiefs and Hurricanes.

While Read, who is still recovering from a broken thumb, had previously ruled himself out of the Samoa match.

Hooker Dane Coles - who continues to deal with concussion symptoms -would not be considered, Hansen said, as the All Blacks assembled in Auckland before Friday's match against Samoa.

Ryan Crotty has been showing positive signs after he sustained a rib cartilage damage he sustained playing for the Crusaders against the Highlanders a week ago.

"[Coles] is not conditioned enough to be playing in this first test, but he remains a day-by-day prospect," Hansen said

"[While Crotty] is looking pretty good. We'll just take our time with him. He's down to train tomorrow and the next day, and from there we'll get a better gauge.

"Those sort of injuries you need to be back on the track to really understand if he's good enough to go," Hansen added.