Dunedin - All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams is hungry to return to action and "keen to have a crack" if selected to face France in Dunedin on Saturday.

Williams said he was feeling good after a rigorous workout on Tuesday morning but added that he also had a tough session before the second Test in Wellington with Kieran Read and had come through unscathed from that.

He was enjoying being back in the team environment and last week had been pleased to help the side prepare for the game.

"A lot of the times I'm in the driving seat so it was good just to show my love to the boys and really connect with them on and off the field and try to get them prepared as well as I could," Williams told the All Blacks' official website.

He said he was surprised at the speed of his recovery from minor knee surgery.

"I thought I wouldn't be playing for four to six weeks so it all happened kind of quickly. I was in holiday mode," said Williams.

But a meeting with the coaching and medical staff said his operation had been a success and a lot better than expected and then Steve Hansen asked if he was a chance to play in the third Test and the doctor said yes but he would have to come into the team camp.

Hansen looked at him and said: "You're in camp. I rang my wife and told her, she was a little bit upset because we had planned things to do."

Williams added that having worked out with Read before the Test that he looked ready to play but he was a player who stuck to his processes and ticking the right boxes. However, they were keen to see him back because he gave the side so much confidence when he was playing.