KEY POINTS:
The pattern continues. The All Black selectors continue to juggle their choice of Bledisloe Cup centres since the departure of Tana Umaga.
After his 2005 exit, selectors have chosen Mils Muliaina, Isaia Toeava, Luke McAlister then Toeava again at centre for the transtasman battles, with Richard Kahui the
latest to be set that task on Saturday.
While the pattern fluctuates, the results have favoured the All Blacks 3-1 with the only defeat last year in Melbourne when Wallaby skipper Stirling Mortlock produced one of his blockbusters.
The next man charged with shutting down Mortlock's space yesterday was rookie test centre Kahui, a rising and most promising talent but someone who has been used just one this season while Conrad Smith has made the other four starts.
"It wasn't any lack of form from Conrad, I can tell you that," backs coach Wayne Smith said yesterday.
"They're both pretty young centres. Richard has played against [Mortlock] at Super 14 level. He plays with a lot of edge. We just feel for this game, this opposition on this track, he's the right selection."
Whatever the rationale, whatever the logic, it did not count a few hours later when Mortlock withdrew from the test because of the concussion he received last weekend against the Boks in Perth.
His place will be taken by Ryan Cross, while the Wallabies will be led by flanker George Smith when their team is announced today in Sydney.
Kahui does have a bigger chassis than Smith and showed his defensive clout in his test debut last month against England. However, Smith has had a very low error rate in his matches this season and had been forming a strong alliance with provincial teammate Ma'a Nonu.
As coach Smith suggested it must have been a marginal decision, one you feel had everything about matching physique against physique in the fascinating start to this season's four-test Bledisloe Cup series.
The All Blacks made five changes from the side edged out in Dunedin 20-18 by the Boks.
Greg Somerville and Brad Thorn, returning in place of John Afoa and Anthony Boric, were predictable changes in the pack.
But there is much to discuss about the three other changes, including the probable return of injured skipper Richie McCaw, who is bracketed with another recuperating opensider Daniel Braid. McCaw has not played for a month since damaging his ankle against England but he fronted at training this week and has been given a 50-50 chance of being ready for Saturday. oach Graham Henry said the decision would be left up to his skipper.
Initially, McCaw was not expected to return until the All Blacks test in South Africa next month although there was a whisper he might sneak in for next week's return test at Eden Park. Now Sydney beckons.
"He's got the determination and the desire to play, he's done all the rehab and he's making good progress," Henry said.
"He's playing against two of the best sevens in the world - Smith and Waugh - and he doesn't want to be disadvantaged in that competition and he wants to make sure that he can be competitive.
"If he thinks he can be competitive, he'll play."
Another intrigue came on the wing where the modestly-performing Sitiveni Sivivatu has been retained but moved to the left flank where he replaces the consistent Rudi Wulf.
Provincial teammate Anthony Tuitavake returns to the side on the right wing after an absence of three tests, while backup fullback Leon MacDonald missed the reserves list after suffering minor injuries.
Sivivatu has sparked infrequently this test season but with Joe Rokocoko sidelined until later in the season, the selectors probably feel they do not want to play two rookie wings alongside a new centre.
Lock Ali Williams has still been worried about his ankle although the medics reported that he was in better shape than he had been for the successive tests against the Springboks.
