All Blacks: Henry names his strongest line-up

Dan Carter looks on during an All Blacks training session in Hong Kong. Photo / Getty Images

Graham Henry described the selection of his team for tomorrow's Bledisloe Cup rugby test as a show of appreciation, although the Wallabies are unlikely to see any benevolence in the All Blacks head coach's gesture.

Henry and fellow selectors Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen yesterday predictably named their strongest available starting XV for the fourth and final transtasman test of the year, a contest to be treated with the utmost respect regardless of an apathetic public response to Hong Kong's second match between the All Blacks and Wallabies.

The core of a New Zealand line-up chiefly responsible for inflicting 10 successive defeats on Robbie Deans' Wallabies will be rolled out at Hong Kong Stadium, with a refusal to unleash Sonny Bill Williams from the reserves bench an indication of the All Blacks' determination not to give Australia a potential weakness to exploit.

Williams has been the most talked about member of the tour party but the hyped-up 25-year-old will have to bide his time until the Grand Slam leg of the tour to add an All Blacks cap to his seven appearances for the Kiwis league team.

Isaia Toeava may have played five fewer games of provincial rugby than Williams this season but the versatile Aucklander's 26 tests of experience ensured he was the logical choice to cover the midfield and outside backs.

"We didn't want to fire Sonny Bill in at the deep end," Henry said when asked the obvious question. "It would have been a big ask to throw him out there in a big test match like this without having had time to get his feet under the table.

"We think he needs a little bit of time to get accustomed to what we're trying to do out there."

There was also the inference that Williams had to earn his right to acquire a test jumper, despite him being a certainty to tour since his return from France in June.

Henry said loyalty was the driving force behind selecting the 22-man squad.

"The philosophy was to reinforce what's happened over the last 12 months and this is the group of players that have done the job," he said. "It's the test team that's been starting most test matches this year, it's really a thank you for what they've done."

There are four expected changes to the starting XV who beat the Wallabies 23-22 at Sydney on September 11.

Daniel Carter is restored at first five-eighths for his comeback from ankle surgery for the axed Aaron Cruden, while form also dictated Jerome Kaino's promotion from the bench to the blindside flank for a discarded Victor Vito.

Season-ending injuries to Piri Weepu and Israel Dagg see Jimmy Cowan start at halfback and Joe Rokocoko on the left wing.

Carter, out of action since the Tri-Nations-clinching win over South Africa at Soweto on August 22, has been carefully monitored this week as has hooker Keven Mealamu, who has been dogged by a fragile calf.

Henry denied the selectors were gambling in starting the experienced duo.

"There was a bit of concern about whether they'd be okay but they came through the [trial] game last week well," he said.

The test will be a significant occasion for Mealamu's understudy Hika Elliot, the second-ranked No 2 until Andrew Hore returns to the fray in Europe.

Elliot joined the 2008 end-of-year tour as a replacement for Hore but played only the midweek match against Munster, so he can look forward to his first test cap if required.

Daniel Braid will also relish any involvement in what would be his first test since he stood in for Richie McCaw at Sydney in 2008, the Wallabies' only Bledisloe Cup success under Deans.

Braid relocated to Queensland for two seasons but an impressive Super 14 campaign with the Reds this year encouraged him to return to Auckland and re-sign with the New Zealand Rugby Union.

"He's very skilful, a good continuity player, he makes good decisions," Henry said.

It has been 26 months since the All Blacks lost to Australia, but Henry is taking nothing for granted.

"Australia are going to win at some stage, aren't they? It's just a matter of when."

- NZPA

Hong Kong, 9.30pm tomorrow

ALL BLACKS
Mils Muliaina
Cory Jane
Conrad Smith
Ma'a Nonu
Joe Rokocoko
Daniel Carter
Jimmy Cowan
Kieran Read
Richie McCaw (c)
Jerome Kaino
Tom Donnelly
Brad Thorn
Owen Franks
Keven Mealamu
Tony Woodcock

AUSTRALIA
Kurtley Beale
James O'Connor
Adam Ashley-Cooper
Matt Giteau
Drew Mitchell
Quade Cooper
Will Genia
Ben McCalman
David Pocock
Rocky Elsom (c)
Nathan Sharpe
Mark Chisholm
Ben Alexander
Stephen Moore
Benn Robinson

All Blacks: Hikawera Elliot, John Afoa, Samuel Whitelock, Daniel Braid, Alby Mathewson, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.

Australia: Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper, Dean Mumm, Richard Brown, Luke Burgess, Berrick Barnes, Lachie Turner.