Recovered loosie Sam Cane will captain an entirely changed All Blacks side against Italy in their rugby Test at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday morning.
Of the matchday 23 who blew away Wales 54-16 in Cardiff last weekend, five reserves were picked to start; Prop Tyrel Lomax, lock Tupou Vaa'i, scrumhalf Brad Weber, flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, and wing Sevu Reece.
Meanwhile just three starters against Wales — lock Sam Whitelock and backs David Havili and Jordie Barrett — are in the reserves.
The rest of Sunday's squad features new faces including Cane back in the No.7 jersey leading the team.
Cane, the All Blacks captain last year, will start with the armband in his ongoing comeback after seven months out with pectoral and shoulder injuries.
The All Blacks have rested their front-line players for harder tour matches against Ireland and France still to come but have chosen a strong side to uphold their unbeaten 15-test record against Italy.
Star first-five Mo'unga is back though, pivoting most of the backline that ripped apart the United States 104-14 two weeks ago.
Coach Ian Foster has also paired young locks Vaa'i, 21, and Josh Lord, 20, who made his debut against the US.
“With this tour we have an objective of growing the opportunities and the depth in this group," Foster said.
"We’ve been driving our performances upwards because the competition and the energy in the squad has been huge. This week is about this particular group putting another marker down.
“We are ready and prepared for this weekend. We know it’s a really big game for us when it comes to improving our skillsets and decision-making as we’ve made that a bit of a focus this week.
"The team that’s been selected has been given the job of ensuring we grow in those areas from our game against Wales."
Braydon Ennor, named to start in the midfield alongside Quinn Tupaea, told Breakfast Friday morning the team is focused on delivering a clinical performance on Sunday as they near the end of their 12-week tour.
"We're in the home stretch now," Ennor said.
"Everyone's looking forward to finishing up what we've got to do here and getting home to our families."
The first selection of new Italy coach Kieran Crowley, a former All Black himself, also marks the first outing as captain for flanker Michele Lamaro.
Crowley has gone for experience, with recalls after three years for lock Marco Fuser when Italy last met the All Blacks, after two years for No. 8 Renato Giammarioli, and after one year for fullback Matteo Minozzi.
The reserves include uncapped Argentina-born prop Ivan Nemer from Benetton.
Teams:
All Blacks: Damian McKenzie, Sevu Reece, Braydon Ennor, Quinn Tupaea, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Brad Weber; Hoskins Sotutu, Sam Cane (captain), Luke Jacobson, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa’i, Tyrel Lomax, Dane Coles, George Bower.
Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Ethan de Groot, Ofa Tuungafasi, Sam Whitelock, Shannon Frizell, Finlay Christie, David Havili, Jordie Barrett.
Italy: Matteo Minozzi, Federico Mori, Juan Ignacio Brex, Marco Zanon, Montanna Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Renato Giammarioli, Michele Lamaro (captain), Sebastian Negri, David Sisi, Marco Fuser, Marco Riccioni, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Danilo Fischetti.
Reserves: Luca Bigi, Ivan Nemer, Pietro Ceccarelli, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Abraham Steyn, Callum Braley, Carlo Canna.
- Additional reporting by Associated Press.
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