Question marks surround the availability of All Blacks flanker Sam Cane for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup clash in Auckland.
Dressed in trainers and track suit, Cane played little part in Friday's 'Captain's Run' on Friday, but captain Kieran Read insisted it was simply a "precautionary" measure.
"He's just having a day off today," said Read. "At the moment, he's still going to go."
If Cane were to be scratched, Ardie Savea would likely slot into the number seven jersey. He would be a huge loss in a breakdown battle where Australia will field champion loose forwards Michael Hooper and David Pocock.
That's precisely the area Read has identified as the key point of contention.
"We've focused on our ball - really looking after that pill. Making sure we get that breakdown right.
"They've got some great guys over the ball...so try and make sure we recycle as many phases as we can."
It's proved a challenging year for the 26-year-old openside, as he's battled through a host of injuries.
Most recently, an abdominal strain saw him miss more than a month of action for the Chiefs, returning in time for the All Blacks' June series against France.
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