Kieran Read will make his much-anticipated Super Rugby return against the Highlanders on Friday night.
The All Blacks captain has been selected to start for the Crusaders in their penultimate regular season match.
The 2017 champions secured top spot in the New Zealand conference last week without playing a game and now Read's return has then rocketing towards the playoffs.
On Wednesday, Read, who hasn't played since the All Blacks end- of- year tour, told media he was excited to finally be back on the park.
"I'm looking forward to it," said Read. "I've obviously got to keep the standard up, because they've been going pretty good.
"I'm 100 per cent ready to go. I probably won't be doing 80 [minutes], but I'm ready to get the game started."
Read trained with the national side during the build-up to the second test against France in Wellington and showed no signs of discomfort a week later, when he ran out in a Counties Manukau pre-season match in Manurewa.
The 32-year-old admits he is not at peak fitness, but believes Friday night's return has him on the fast track.
"I'm not [100 per cent] in terms of match fitness - I’m a wee way off that - but I think, starting, you get the opportunity to just empty the tank.
"In terms of the back, it actually feels really good. It's a bonus, there is no pain at all - it's all good.
"It was actually really good to get that hit-out last week and go for it 100 per cent. The back's not the issue, it's going to be all the other things."
There was no room in Scott Robertson's squad for All Black winger Israel Dagg.
Crusaders: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Owen Franks, 4-Scott Barrett, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 7-Matt Todd, 8-Kieran Read, 9-Bryn Hall, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-George Bridge, 12-Ryan Crotty, 13-Jack Goodhue, 14-Seta Tamanivalu, 15-David Havili
Reserves: 16-Codie Taylor, 17-Wyatt Crockett, 18-Michael Alaalatoa, 19-Quinten Strange, 20-Jordan Taufua, 21-Mitchell Drummond, 22-Mitchell Hunt, 23-Manasa Mataele
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Join us at 7:30pm Friday for live updates of the Crusaders v Highlanders Super Rugby clash.
