All Blacks: Read on track for Canada Rugby World Cup clash

Kieran Read. Photo / Getty Images

On a chilly day in Christchurch, Kieran Read warmed the hearts of All Blacks fans everywhere when announcing he was on track to face Canada in the Rugby World Cup match next week.

Read, the All Blacks first-choice No 8, had just taken part in All Blacks training at the Linwood Rugby Club when he delivered the good news that his injured ankle had held up well in today's session.

He said that his recovery was "on schedule'' and "I expect to be able to take part in a normal week of training next week.

"The ankle is coming on really well and I had a good session today. I did some scrum work and wrestling today and it's a matter of getting some load on it. I am not 100 per cent but I hope to train a normal full week on it next week.

"I am not at full pace yet but I did some easy stepping on it in a straight line today and I need to look after it and get it right for next week.

"I am in a good frame of mind and it all points to being right but I won't know until I get to that point.''

The All Blacks have been without Read since he injured his ankle in the Tri Nations loss to Australia in Brisbane just over three weeks ago. While Victor Vito has slotted in well for the Crusaders player, the All Blacks will want his bruising defence and direct ball carrying for the knockout matches to come and a run against Canada in Wellington on October 2 would help his conditioning greatly.

Read will miss his side's toughest pool game of the tournament - France at Eden Park on Saturday night - something the Tricolours' first-five Morgan Parra, normally a halfback, will probably be happy about.

Of the other All Blacks with injury worries, Richie McCaw (calf), Israel Dagg (abdominal muscle) and Mils Muliaina (hamstring) played a full part in the session today, but Dan Carter (lower back) took a limited part in the contact element of training.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith said yesterday (Mon) that all four were likely to be available for selection for the rematch against New Zealand's quarter-final conquerors of four years ago.

Carter was early last week ruled out of the All Blacks game against Japan in Hamilton on Friday, while McCaw and Muliaina were late scratchings. Dagg had not been named in the match-day 22 when he, like McCaw and Muliaina, suffered his injury in a mid-week training session.

The All Blacks will name their team to face France on Thursday morning.