Senior All Black Jerome Kaino is set for game time for Auckland in his return to rugby this week.
The All Blacks have advised that Kaino will assemble with the Auckland team ahead of their Mitre 10 Cup match against Taranaki on Saturday night.
Kaino was not included in the match day squad for the All Blacks for their Bledisloe Cup test against Australia in Sydney on August 19 and returned home to deal with a personal matter following the publication of a story in the Australian media on the morning of the match.
The Daily Telegraph in Sydney alleged he had had an affair with a model named Tara Pokarier.
Liam Squire played a blinder for the All Blacks in Kaino's customary blindside flanker position in the test.
Kaino was not considered for selection for the return match in Dunedin on August 26 or the test this Saturday in New Plymouth against Argentina.
Photo: MATT KING/GETTY IMAGES Caption: Jerome Kaino is set to return to rugby for Auckland in their Mitre 10 Cup match against Taranaki at Eden Park on Saturday evening.