All Blacks: Cruden's biggest test arrives

Aaron Cruden is likely to bring his instinctive attacking style to the game. Photo / Getty Images

It is time to tinker, a chance to test some of the next echelon of All Blacks but no occasion to ruin an unblemished season record.

That balancing act faces the All Blacks in Sydney tonight as they seek to melt their Wallaby hosts in the last act of the Tri-Nations.

While the trophy is confirmed All Black property, tonight's result is open-ended as the Wallabies come off a rare win in South Africa and the visitors shuffle their playing roster.

How that affects the All Blacks rhythm is one of the intrigues about this test as new men get their turn to state their credentials for the end of year touring party and beyond.

A few reserves like Anthony Boric and John Afoa may be borderline picks for those trips and extended chances from the pine tonight may settle those decisions.

In the spotlight, front and centre will be young five-eighths Aaron Cruden.

He looks a player of immense talent, the selectors believe he has the temperament and class to make it and this is his showcase time.

The pressure and expectation is enormous. It will be difficult to put away comparisons with the injured Daniel Carter but test rugby is a brutal sporting inquisition.

If teams or individuals are out of sync, underdone, over the hill or tactically troubled, the outcomes can be messy.

This is the zenith of rugby. Participants can expect to be judged far more intently.

So Cruden, Victor Vito and Israel Dagg step from their backup places into the football frontline while Piri Weepu and Owen Franks come off spells into the playing XV.

The All Black staff have given little away about their strategies, insisting the replacements will fit into a pattern the side has developed this season.

That may be so but Cruden will bring a different style to the game and invariably the shape of the All Blacks. His instincts are to attack. He likes to challenge the line himself from phase play, he will keep the inside defenders even more aware.

That in turn will open up different chances out wide where Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu have to direct their young teammate.

However the All Blacks have shown a reluctance to kick away possession this season and it may be a low-percentage play without someone of the technical clout of Carter.

In their solitary excursion to Australia last year, the All Blacks began their 14-test unbeaten streak and continued their hold against the Wallabies with a solitary point, 19-18, victory.

It was a struggle, Carter was back for his first test after injury and there was a lack of rhythm about the All Blacks.

They have welded more authority to a convincing pattern this year, they have looked sharp and fit and should soak up the roster changes.

Franks continues to get huge raps from those in charge of the scrum, he leads from tighthead and is also an immense defender around the track.

His colleagues have also been strong in that area, getting off the deck quickly to reform their line. Tonight they will be urging each other on, for one last effort, before they take their leave under the collective agreement.

Quade Cooper could be the rogue problem, a running five eighths with mesmeric offloads who makes his Bledisloe Cup baptism after signing a revamped contract yesterday to take him to next year's World Cup.

Cue the scrum, captain Richie McCaw and his marauding loosies to squeeze the quality and time in possession for the Wallabies.

If they can get points early, they should get into the Wallabies psyche to make them feel every minute of this match after the longhaul back from South Africa.

Ten straight sounds far better than "take that mate".