Biggest-ever American rugby crowd ready to greet All Blacks in Chicago

The All Blacks' first visit to the United States in 34 years is set to shatter the rugby attendance record in America and, hopefully, pique US interest in the game.

Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears, is sold out for Saturday's one-off test, promising a crowd of 61,000-plus that will more than treble the previous record rugby crowd of 20,181 for a United States match against Ireland in Houston last year.

Regardless of the outcome, it is a milestone moment for a USA Rugby federation keen to raise the profile of the game in the crowded US sports landscape.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the global game of rugby to American sports fans," said USA Rugby chief executive Nigel Melville, a former England captain.

The inclusion of rugby sevens in the 2016 Rio Olympic programme has boosted interest in the game in America.

With potential Olympic medals at stake funding has flowed into the sport, and that opportunity is also an attention grabber for talented athletes who might otherwise direct their efforts to the gridiron or basketball.

Olympic broadcaster NBC will carry live coverage of a match Melville has called the "biggest game in US rugby history".