Ryan Crotty

Crotty fractured his thumb in the Super Rugby semi-final against the Hurricanes in June.

At the time he was given a time frame of eight weeks for recovery.

An All Blacks statement says Crotty will be available for Canterbury's Mitre 10 Cup match against Southland in Christchurch on Saturday.... nine weeks after sustaining the injury.

The announcement is also likely to result in him being confirmed in the All Blacks' World Cup squad which is announced tomorrow.

Crotty will slot in a second-five, partnering All Blacks teammate Jack Goodhue in the midfield, as the two-time defending champions aim to bounce back from last week's dismal 40-27 defeat to the Chiefs in Suva.

As a token of Crotty's services to the club, the Christchurch Stadium West Stand has been renamed the 'Ryan Crotty Stand' for this match.

The Crusaders centurion and 44-Test All Black has announced he will leave New Zealand rugby at the end of the year, and link up with Japanese club Kubota Spears.

Crotty confirmed the move last night.

"The All Blacks, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby have been such an important part of my life and I'm grateful for every opportunity I've had to represent my country, my province and my family over the years," Crotty said.

Coach Scott Robertson has made five changes to the starting line-up from the side that lost to the Highlanders in Dunedin last Saturday night.

Both Whitelock and Crotty suffered head knocks in the Crusaders loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington two weeks ago and missed the Highlanders match.

Prop Tim Perry returns to start pushing Wyatt Crockett to the bench.

Flanker Billy Harmon will earn his second start replacing All Black Matt Todd, who took a knock to the ribs and will be rested.

Steam billowed from the mouth of Crusaders second five-eighth Crotty on Saturday night as he discussed the upcoming Super Rugby final against the Lions in Johannesburg next Sunday morning (NZT), a small cup of soup nestled in his hand as he tried to stay warm in the sub-zero temperatures at AMI Stadium.

Crotty, who's preparing to return from injury for the Crusaders' Super Rugby quarter final match against the Highlanders on Saturday, has also signed on with Canterbury for another year.

The 28-year-old has played 27 tests for the All Blacks, including the first test against the British and Irish Lions last month, and has played 119 Super Rugby games for the Crusaders.

Crotty admitted he considered overseas options but chose to stay in New Zealand.

Last year, with varying degrees of success, the All Blacks used four variations of Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, George Moala and Lienert-Brown.

Crotty and Lienert-Brown emerged on top, with Fekitoa and Moala slipping out the picture for now.

SBW-ALB doesn't just roll off the tongue nicely. Their joint attacking threats could prove fruitful, even if their starting partnership is only short-lived.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen strongly indicated on Thursday Ryan Crotty should be fit for the first test against the Lions next week, despite carrying rib damage.

The 28-year-old Crotty, who was expected to be named in Steve Hansen's All Blacks squad for the three-test series on Thursday, suffered rib cartilage damage in the Crusaders' 25-22 win over the Highlanders on Saturday.

Initial assessments suggested he could be out for at least two weeks but the Crusaders' assistant coach Jason Ryan said they needed to check a scan before they could determine the extent of the injury.

"It will be a case-by-case thing," Ryan said. "Cartilages can be pretty niggly, especially when you are sneezing or coughing.

Up against Ryan Crotty, a lock for the All Blacks midfield, on Friday as the Blues venture south, Moala has the chance to push his claims for inclusion in June.

Cast your mind back to last year's third test against Wales and Moala's first start for the All Blacks at centre. That night in Dunedin he scored a try and made several telling breaks in a largely impressive 50 minute stint but also showed his decision-making had some way to go.

Crotty scored New Zealand's opening try of the Championship in the first of two victories over Australia, as Steve Hansen's men retained the Bledisloe Cup.

The Crusaders centre missed the second clash through injury, with Anton Lienert-Brown coming in to make his debut.

However, Crotty is now fully recovered from his head knock and will don the number 12 shirt once again in Hamilton on Saturday.

"In selecting this team, we felt there was the need for consistency," Hansen said.