Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read has expressed interest in playing in this year's Mitre 10 Cup competition.
Read, who is contracted with Toyota Verblitz, is back in New Zealand after the Japanese Top League season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With the next Japanese season not kicking off until January 2021, Read is interested in playing in the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season, which is due to start on September 11.
Read has played 37 games for Canterbury in the domestic competition, although in his last contract with New Zealand Rugby he was aligned with Counties Manukau, where he grew up.
"I would [be interested]," Read told Sky Sport's The Pod. "It's a possibility. There needs to be a few things to happen.
"I think it's just exciting if the All Blacks are back playing in that competition. I remember that's what it was like when I was younger watching the games on the hill at Pukekohe.
"All the All Blacks were playing so you got to see a lot of legends of the game playing in that form of footy. It's exciting for the game. Hopefully that gets going. And we'll just have to wait and see if I'm there or not."
Earlier this week, reports surfecte that some provincial unions might not be able to participate in this year's competition.
But the unions were quick to shut down those claims, with all 14 provinces committed to competing in this year's competition.
