Friday 2 June 2017 09:14, UK
New Zealand hooker Dane Coles is in a race against time to be fit for the start of the Test series against the British and Irish Lions due to ongoing concussion problems.
Coles has not played since March and is now a doubt to be ready for the Hurricanes' Super Rugby clash with the Chiefs on June 9.
The All Blacks kick off the three-Test series against the Lions at Eden Park in Auckland on June 24, live on Sky Sports.
The 30-year-old would be a sore miss to Steve Hansen's back-to-back world champions should he be unavailable to face the Lions, but Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd says he cannot see the hooker being ready to play for his club next week.
"I think it would be unlikely he's going to get through enough [work] before next week for him to come into contention for selection," Boyd said of Coles' chances of facing the Chiefs.
"I might be surprised when I get home [from Australia where the Hurricanes will face the Force], but the indications are at this stage that probably not."
No 8 Kieran Read now hopes to be ready in time for the Lions series after nursing a broken thumb, but will still have to prove his fitness closer to the Tests.
The All Blacks will host Samoa in a warm-up match on June 16, before moving on to face the Lions, who have still just won one tour to New Zealand, back in 1971.
The Lions play the first match of their 10-match tour on Saturday against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians, live on Sky Sports 1 from 8am.
