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Wellington - The All Blacks come closer to naming their strongest test line-up, making seven changes to the starting side for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against Australia in Auckland.
The changes - four among the forwards and three among the backs - increase the tally of Test caps among the All Blacks XV by 110 to 766 while the Wallabies have a total of 390 Test caps.
Hooker Keven Mealamu, prop Owen Franks, lock Brad Thorn and backrower Keiran Read will all play their first Tests of the season while Piri Weepu will start a Test for the first time this year at scrumhalf.
Sitiveni Sivivatu and Hosea Gear will form the third different winger pairing the All Blacks have used in their last three Tests.
Mealamu, Franks, Thorn and Read were rested for New Zealand's wins over Fiji and South Africa to allow them extra time to recover from tiring Super 15 campaigns.
Weepu came off the bench in both of those matches as a replacement for Jimmy Cowan.
Sivivatu played the Fiji Test in combination with Zac Guildford, while Guildford combined with Cory Jane in New Zealand's opening Tri-Nations Test in Wellington last weekend.
After overcoming a minor knee injury, Sivivatu will move from the left to the right wing on Saturday allowing Gear, who has recovered from a hamstring strain, to start his first Test of the season on the left. Guildford has dropped out of the match 22.
The All Blacks have an embarrassment of riches among the outside backs and have used their three Tests so far to define their best combinations.
Mils Muliaina will start his third Test of the season and his 97th for New Zealand at fullback, matching Richie McCaw who will also play his 97th Test while leading the All Blacks from the side of the scrum.
Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith will play their 29th Test together in midfield on Saturday, becoming New Zealand's most experienced midfield partnership. Flyhalf Dan Carter will play his 82nd Test, becoming one of the top five most-capped All Blacks off all time after Muliaina, McCaw, Sean Fitzpatrick (92) and Mealamu (83).
New Zealand will retain the Bledisloe Cup, contested in annual Test series' against Australia, if they win on Saturday and will improve their chances of retaining the Tri-Nations trophy.
The Aussies haven't won a Test in New Zealand for 11 years - losing 11 in succession - and haven't won at Eden Park - the venue for this year's World Cup final - since 1986.
The Wallabies are confident of breaking that losing streak after beating the Springboks 39-20 two weeks ago. All Blacks coach Graham Henry predicted a tougher contest than his team had faced so far this year.
"There is no doubt that the intensity levels will rise for this Test," he said. "It's game one in a two-match Bledisloe Cup series involving the teams ranked number one and two in the world.
"It's a hugely important Test and is going to be a massive challenge, but we are looking forward to that."
Teams
All Blacks: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Substitutes: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Samuel Whitelock, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Colin Slade, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.
Substitutes: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Lachie Turner
