Lions tour 2017: Kieran Read ready to face British and Irish Lions in the biggest Test of his career

All Blacks captain Kieran Read will play the biggest match of his career when he leads the All Blacks out to face the British and Irish Lions in the deciding third Test at Eden Park.

The match is a special occasion for the 31-year old, who will become the seventh All Black to play 100 Test matches for New Zealand.

Read will be following in the footsteps of former teammates Mils Muliaina, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock - all of whom cracked a century of Tests for the All Blacks.

"I've certainly got a few extra messages that have come my way but it's a team thing and I get my joy out of us going out there and getting a win," said Read.

Read admitted that Saturday's clash will likely feel no different to the time he first pulled on the black jersey, against Scotland at Murrayfield in 2008.

"Your first one, you're pretty nervous, pretty excited, and I don't think that's really changed to be honest," Read told reporters.

"I'll be rocking up tomorrow and I'll have a few butterflies in the stomach, but overriding that is the excitement of why you do this. I don't get sick of pulling on the jersey and going out and playing.

"It's a pretty cool place to be - I never expected to be in this position, I guess. The biggest thing for me is to go out there and do my bit."

Kieran Read with Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling.
Kieran Read with Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling. Photo credit: Getty Images.

Saturday's third Test will have even more significance with the series on the line in Auckland.

The Lions have only won one Test series against the All Blacks back in 1971, and they will be backing themselves after claiming a 24-21 win over New Zealand in the second Test in Wellington.

Read told reporters that it is important that the team sticks to the game plan, if they are to win their fifth-straight series over the Lions.

"There's not much panic, I think.              

"We can't just go rewrite the books and change things. We probably got caught a little bit in the conditions and got stuck in ourselves, and we've got to go out there and play our game, that's the most important thing.   

"You come off a loss and there's certainly a bit of edge around, guys want to get back out there and have another crack. Fortunately, we've got that opportunity."

The All Blacks had a special guest at their captains run today with Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling paying a visit to watch the team train.

"He's a good man, we've had him in before," Read said of Burling.

"The boys were pretty pumped about what his team could do with the America's Cup and bringing it back. We just wanted to congratulate him."

Newshub.