WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The All Blacks have confirmed captain Kieran Read will miss Friday’s one-off test against Samoa and will make his return from a six-week injury layoff in the first test against the British and Irish Lions on June 24.
Read has missed most of the second half of the Super Rugby season with a broken thumb and will now be forced to go into the three-test series against the Lions without the benefit of warmup matches. But All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said he is confident the backrower will be able to cope with that challenge.