All Blacks and Blues hooker Keven Mealamu is fit to play this weekend against Ireland but coach Steve Hansen wants to keep him on the sidelines for one more week.

Mealamu took part in full training today at Linfield Park in Linwood but its likely that he will remain out of the team until the All Blacks third test against Ireland which is in Hamilton.

Blues captain Mealamu's game time has been limited this season due to a calf injury which has kept him out of Super Rugby for the last six rounds.

"He's fit to play if we want him to," Hansen told the Dominion Post.

"But we are going to give him a week of full training and get his body used to that first.

"Then we might let him loose on the paddock next week."

Ninety-two-cap Mealamu is one cap away from overtaking Sean Fitzpatrick as the most capped All Blacks' hooker and still has a couple of years left in him as he is 33.

Mealamu's absence means that the rejuvenated Andrew Hore will retain his place in the All Blacks starting line up.

Coach Hansen says that the All Blacks won't make too many changes to the team that played last week although Victor Vito's injury will cause a back three reshuffle with Adam Thomson coming into the starting line up while Sam Cane could come on to the bench.

"You won't see a lot of changes this week."

"We will look to play the game that suits the conditions really, within the game structure that we have in place.

"It's just a matter of saying right we will go here rather than there."