The All Blacks will have to continue their search for consistency against the Wallabies in Melbourne without their most consistent player, Ardie Savea, who is out of the Test due to the impending arrival of his third child.
With another loose forward, Shannon Frizell, also ruled out of the Test on September 15 due to a rib injury suffered in the All Blacks’ 53-3 victory over Argentina in Hamilton, Luke Jacobson has been brought into the squad.
A squad of 33 will travel on Friday without props Aidan Ross and Angus Ta’vao as well as utility back Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, all of whom have been released to play in the NPC. Uncapped lock Josh Dickson has also been released from the squad after covering for Brodie Retallick.
A statement released to the media on Monday afternoon stated that Savea would be available for the second Test against Australia at Eden Park on September 24.
In putting seven tries past the Pumas at Waikato Stadium after their failure in Christchurch the week before, the All Blacks will likely feel they have turned a corner in terms of performance, but the loss of Savea, generally the best All Black on the field in all seven Tests this year, could be felt deeply.
Attention will now turn on who will wear the No.8 jersey.
With Retallick returning to full fitness after recovering from a broken cheekbone, there was likely to be a reshuffle for next week anyway.
Read more: Easy-beats to heavy hitters - the transformation of the All Black pack
Retallick will likely partner Sam Whitelock in the second row, with Scott Barrett possibly starting at blindside flanker.
It seems unlikely that Jacobson, whose last Test came against Italy in Rome last November, would make the starting line-up at Marvel Stadium, which means the two options for No.8 are Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu. Of those two, Sotutu may be the most likely given he is a No.8 specialist.
The All Blacks will assemble in Auckland on Thursday and travel to Melbourne on Friday.
The 33-strong squad for the trip to Melbourne is as follows: (Age, Super Rugby club, Province, Test caps).
Forwards:
Hookers
Dane Coles (35, Hurricanes / Wellington, 83)
Samisoni Taukei'aho (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 15)
Codie Taylor (31, Crusaders / Canterbury, 71)
Props
George Bower (30, Crusaders / Otago, 18)
Ethan de Groot (24, Highlanders / Southland, 8)
Nepo Laulala (30, Blues / Counties Manukau, 41)
Tyrel Lomax (26, Hurricanes / Tasman, 18)
Fletcher Newell (22, Canterbury / Crusaders, 3)
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (30, Blues / Northland, 47)
Locks
Scott Barrett (28, Crusaders / Taranaki, 54)
Brodie Retallick (31, Chiefs / Hawke’s Bay, 96)
Tupou Vaa’i (22, Chiefs / Taranaki, 14)
Samuel Whitelock (33, Crusaders / Canterbury, 138)
Loose Forwards
Sam Cane – Captain (30, Chiefs / Bay of Plenty, 84)
Akira Ioane (27, Blues / Auckland, 17)
Luke Jacobson (25, Chiefs / Waikato, 12)
Dalton Papali’i (24, Blues / Counties Manukau, 16)
Hoskins Sotutu (24, Blues / Counties Manukau, 10)
Backs:
Halfbacks
Finlay Christie (26, Blues / Tasman, 10)
Folau Fakatava (22, Highlanders / Hawke’s Bay, 2)
Aaron Smith (33, Highlanders / Manawatu, 109)
First five–eighths
Beauden Barrett (31, Blues / Taranaki, 107)
Richie Mo’unga (28, Crusaders / Canterbury, 39)
Stephen Perofeta (25, Blues / Taranaki 1)
Midfielders
Braydon Ennor (25, Crusaders / Canterbury, 5)
David Havili (27, Crusaders / Tasman, 20)
Rieko Ioane (25, Blues / Auckland, 54)
Quinn Tupaea (23, Chiefs / Waikato, 13)
Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (25, Hurricanes / Taranaki, 43)
Caleb Clarke (23, Blues / Auckland, 9)
Leicester Fainga’anuku (22, Crusaders / Tasman, 2)
Will Jordan (24, Crusaders / Tasman, 19)
Sevu Reece (25, Crusaders / Tasman, 20)
Released for Bunnings Warehouse NPC: Aidan Ross, Angus Ta'avao, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Unavailable due to injury: Shannon Frizell, Jack Goodhue, Patrick Tuipulotu.
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