Super Rugby
Read, Nadolo in Crusaders' development side
ESPN Staff
March 4, 2015
Kieran Read has missed the opening weeks of Super Rugby © Getty Images
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All Blacks No.8 Kieran Read and Fijian star Nemani Nadolo have been named in the Crusaders' development side as they prepare to make their Super Rugby returns in round five.

The 72-Test veteran is one of four All Blacks in the Crusaders Knights side to play a Hurricanes development team in Wellington on Thursday afternoon while Nadolo is back in Christchurch after wrapping up his commitments in Japan.

Read, who has been rested through the first three rounds of Super Rugby, will play alongside prop Joe Moody, lock Dominic Bird and No.8 Luke Whitelock, who have all been involved in the Crusaders' 1-2 win-loss start to the season.

All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock should also be available for the Crusaders in round five with his "mini-sabbatical" scheduled to finish while fullback Israel Dagg, who sat out last week's loss to the Chiefs, also likely to return from a quadriceps injury.

Meanwhile, the Crusaders have become the latest Super Rugby franchise to tap into Japan's emerging playing stocks with winger Yoshikazu Fujita now a member of the club's wider training group.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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