Scott Robertson makes seismic selection call for Los Pumas match

All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has made arguably his first bombshell selection since taking over the team with the dropping of veteran centre Rieko Ioane to the bench.

Ioane who initially displaced star winger Julian Savea in the squad ahead of the 2017 Lions Series has been a mainstay in the side since then.

Now 71 games into his test career, the Blues back faces a first real test for his place in the starting line-up.

Replacing Ioane is fellow veteran Anton Lienert-Brown who is two years Ioane’s senior at 29-years-old and has 72 caps to his name.

Away from the Ioane selection, superstar winger Will Jordan returns to the match day squad for the first time since the World Cup final last October.

In the pack, Tupou Vaa’i and Sam Darry form a new look lock combination with both captain Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu out injured.

Replacing Barrett as captain, reigning World Player Of The Year Ardie Savea will lead the team and is joined in the backrow by Dalton Papali’i and Ethan Blackadder.

The match will take place in Wellington with kick-off at 19:05 local (08:05 BST, 07:05 GMT).

All Blacks: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea (c), 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Tupou Vaa’i, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan De Groot
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Will Jordan