New Zealand co-captain Adam Blair passed fit for England series
Saturday 31 October 2015 15:56, UK
New Zealand co-captain Adam Blair has been passed fit to play England in the opening Test at Hull’s KC Stadium on Sunday.
The 29-year-old Brisbane player has been struggling with a calf injury he picked up in last Friday's warm-up win over Leeds but came through a rigorous fitness test and will start the game at loose forward.
"He's pulled up well so he'll be taking his place on the field tomorrow as long as he wakes up in the morning okay," Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney said after the team's final practice session.
"He's been working all week on it and the medical team have put him through a rigorous test.
"He's played over 30 Test matches and been around a long time. He knows his body better than anybody else and is the type of fella that isn't going to risk letting the team down."
The availability of Blair, who was appointed co-captain with Issac Luke in the absence of the injured Mannering, offers a welcome boost to Kearney, who has already lost a number of established players from his squad.
"Adam does little things around the park that the average punter won't see but his team-mates certainly enjoy having him there," added Kearney.
"I'm just really pleased for him, that he gets the opportunity to run out as first-time captain with Issac Luke and I know he's looking forward to a big match."
