All Blacks release 9 back to provinces

Cape Town - The All Blacks have released nine players from their squad to play for the provinces in the Mitre 10 Cup this week.

Auckland loose forward Akira Ioane will be free to feature against Waikato at Eden Park on Wednesday.

Bay of Plenty hooker Nathan Harris may get a run on against a Wellington side who may field forwards Vaea Fifita and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen in Rotorua on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, centre Ngani Laumape and utility back Nehe Milner-Skudder could vastly improve Manawatu for Saturday's clash with Otago in Dunedin.

Taranaki wing Waisake Naholo is also set to feature in his province's clash with Counties Manukau in New Plymouth on Saturday.

Scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow and utility back David Havili were All Blacks squad members but may now line-up against each other for Waikato and Tasman respectively when the sides meet in Hamilton on Sunday.