Captain Kieran Read will take his first steps towards rejoining the All Blacks by appearing for Counties-Manukau this week.
Read will return to the pitch for the Steelers in their pre-season match against Tasman at the Manurewa Rugby Club on Wednesday after bring sidelined with a prolapsed disc since December.
The 32-year-old last played against Wales in Cardiff in the final test of the All Blacks' annual European tour.
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NZ coach Steve Hansen said Read will likely play around 40 minutes in a bid to make his 2018 Crusaders debut against the Highlanders the following week.
"Then maybe 60 minutes the following week [against the Blues]. Then he will be into it if the Crusaders are still going," Hansen said on Sunday.
There's also promising news for on the status of hooker Dane Coles with confirmation of his availability for the latter half of the Rugby Championship.
Lock Brodie Retallick, loose forwards Vaea Fifita and Liam Squire, and prop Nepo Laulala are expected to be fit and ready for selection to Hansen's 33-man squad at the start of the competition in Sydney on August 18.
It's a bleaker outlook for Ardie Savea and Sonny Bill Williams with the likelihood both miss the remainder of their respective Super Rugby team's seasons.
Savea left the field early against France in Dunedin and was later diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, while Williams suffered a grade two injury to the AC joint of his shoulder.
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