All Blacks captain Kieran Read is in doubt for the All Blacks' final Test of the year against Wales as he continues to battle a hip flexor injury.
The 32-year-old didn't train with the team in Cardiff on Wednesday morning (NZ time) and team doctors are doing everything they can to make sure Read will feature in the match.
As a result, the All Blacks will announce their squad to face the Welsh on Friday morning (NZ time) as opposed to Thursday afternoon to give him extra time to prove his fitness.
It will be the second consultative week the All Blacks have delayed their team naming due to injuries.
All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster believes Read should be fit enough to play at Millennium Stadium on Sunday morning (NZ time).
"He's pretty good, he's a bit battered after the last couple so we took him out of training today to have a chance to have an extra 24 hours. He'll recover quick," Foster said.
"He gets through a lot of work and at this stage he's a bit sore so it was a management decision to pull him out today and give him a chance to walk around and watch training and hopefully freshen up for later in the week.
"He gets through a lot of work and at this stage of the year he's just a bit sore. It's really a management decision to pull him out today, and give him a chance to walk around and watch training, and hopefully freshen up for later in the week.
If Read is to miss the Test, Liam Squire, Akira Ioane or Luke Whitelock will likely get the starting, not at the back of the scrum.
The world champions are already without star winger Ioane (injured shoulder) and lock Luke Romano (foot injury) from the team who beat Scotland 22-17 at Murrayfield.
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