All Black Dane Coles battles to face Lions
New Zealand hooker Dane Coles faces a race against time to be fit to start the British and Irish Lions Test series due to ongoing concussion problems.
Coles has not played since suffering a head issue in March, and is a doubt to be ready for next Friday's Hurricanes-Chiefs Super Rugby clash.
The All Blacks will kick off the three-Test series against the Lions on June 24 at Auckland's Eden Park.
Free-running hooker Coles would prove a big loss for Steve Hansen's back-to-back world champions should he be unavailable to face the Lions.
"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," Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd told reporters of Coles' chances of facing the Chiefs.
"I might be surprised when I get home (from Australia where the Hurricanes will face the Western Force), but the indications are at this stage that probably not."
No.8 Kieran Read 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 on June 16 in a warm-up match, before moving on to face the Lions, who have still just won one tour to New Zealand, back in 1971.
