Nehe Milner-Skudder. Photo / Getty Images
Nehe Milner-Skudder, having seemingly been in danger of becoming the forgotten man in the extended All Black squad, will continue his remarkable year by making his test debut this Saturday.
The last few weeks since the Super Rugby final have been long and stressful for the 24-year-old outside back. Having won his place in the squad on the back of an electric campaign with the Hurricanes, where his stepping and elusive running were first class, he saw George Moala, Waisake Naholo and then Ben Smith play on the right wing while he battled a rib injury.
As he fought to recover, a clearer picture formed about the back three pecking order and it was increasingly hard to see when the Hurricanes wing-cum-fullback would get his chance.
But the waiting is over for Milner-Skudder and he will become the last of the four uncapped players in the original 41-man squad to win game time - having earned a spot on the right wing in a reshuffled back three that sees Ben Smith revert to his favoured fullback role and Julian Savea regain his treasured No11 jersey.
Milner-Skudder brings incredible footwork and vision to the role - which the selectors have encouraged him to use. He is also a regular fullback and has shown himself to be brave and accurate under the high ball.
There is no doubt with Smith and Savea World Cup certainties and Charles Piutau having played superbly in recent weeks, Milner-Skudder will have to deliver something memorable if he is to keep himself in the World Cup frame - but he has been tasked with nothing more than playing his natural game.
The midfield - the other area of congestion - also has a makeover, with Sonny Bill Williams and Conrad Smith paired together. It is a selection that was partly born of necessity as Ma'a Nonu has not fully recovered from a shoulder knock he took in Johannesburg.
But no doubt, too, the selectors want to develop their options in the midfield and head to England with a number of tried combinations.
The rest of the team appears to have been selected to combat the physical onslaught the All Blacks are expecting to encounter.
There have been several false dawns in Australian rugby during the past decade, but no one within the All Blacks doubts the current side has a presence and physical edge that demands to be taken seriously.
The arrival of abrasive coach Michael Cheika has given the whole squad much-needed confidence to impose themselves.
It could be considered a mark of respect that the All Blacks have chosen not to select any fringe players in the starting pack. While head coach Steve Hansen has been true to his stated aim of giving all 41 players in the extended squad a chance to stake a claim for a World Cup place, the starting pack is, effectively, the first choice - with the possible exception of Luke Romano being in ahead of Sam Whitelock.
The bench is where Hansen has loaded those with a point to prove, which suggests he is expecting it may take some time - if it happens at all - for the All Blacks to subdue Australia.
"The Bledisloe Cup is an important trophy for New Zealand rugby and for this team - Australia are one of our oldest opponents," says Hansen.
"We are well aware that they have made improvements and that their coach Cheika wants them to be more physical and more consistent.
"Having said that, we are always looking to improve our game and understand that we will have to take a step up from our Ellis Park performance.
"That means we will need to bring physicality, intensity and accuracy to the occasion. I am picking this to be a brutal contest and one we are looking forward to. It will be about us implementing our game plan and skillsets for 80-plus minutes."
ANZ Stadium, 10pm Saturday
Ben Smith
Nehe Milner-Skudder
Conrad Smith
Sonny Bill Williams
Julian Savea
Daniel Carter
Aaron Smith
Kieran Read
Richie McCaw
Jerome Kaino
Luke Romano
Brodie Retallick
Owen Franks
Dane Coles
Tony Woodcock
Reserves: Codie Taylor, Ben Franks, Nepo Laulala, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Malakai Fekitoa