Dave Rennie has described his All Blacks team named today as "the hardest side we've had to pick", as they prepare to face the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday in the first of two Bledisloe Cup Tests.
Rennie said it took three selection meetings with his coaching staff to finalise the 23, with late injuries forcing Richie Mo'unga and Fehi Fineanganofo to miss out on the two-Test series.
Reuben Love has also been scrubbed out for the rest of the year.
"There were a lot of tough decisions, and the guys who missed out are very close. I guess that's a positive that we're building a bit of depth," Rennie said at a press conference in Auckland today.
Dave Rennie said Mo'unga was initially named to start at 10 on Monday, before he suffered a calf tear at training on Tuesday.
Chiefs winger Emoni Narawa has been added to the All Blacks squad as an injury replacement.
Rennie explained the reasoning behind Damian McKenzie starting at 10, and Beauden Barrett at fullback.
"Damian has trained there (10) a lot, whereas Beauden has trained at fullback for us. He also played at 15 against the Lions and the Bulls.
"They're interchangeable and spend a lot of time in the back field, and having a fullback who is a playmaker suits us."
Rennie said that McKenzie and Barrett's starting positions could have been the other way round, as both will be in playmaker roles.
Expect both to play in the 10 role during the Test.
Rennie also confirmed Mo'unga will not be available for the second Bledisloe Cup Test next week.
Josh Jacomb was set to be released to play for Taranaki this weekend until the Mo'unga injury.
Elsewhere, two returning All Blacks have both been named in the matchday 23, with Scott Barrett and Shannon Frizell earning call-ups for Saturday's Test.
"Shannon’s been good; it was important he got a lot of footy in, but I think he's still getting up to speed conditioning-wise.
"It's probably better to bring him off the bench, with Barrett starting, rather than having a couple of guys that haven't played much footy this year."
Barrett will start alongside Josh Lord in the locks, with the impressive Fabian Holland missing out.
The All Blacks head coach said the team has addressed the unbeaten record at Eden Park being on the line this weekend against the Wallabies. Australia's most recent win at the ground was back in 1986.
"They’ll be highly motivated to break the record. We talk about it - you have to acknowledge it. No one wants to be the first team to lose it."
The All Blacks are unbeaten at Eden Park since 1994, going 53 Tests without a loss at the venue.
"If we don't discuss it, then some guys will be mulling over it on game day, so we’ve talked about it and used it as fuel.
"I’m well aware of the responsibility of being in charge of the ship. I want us to have a good performance, but not for me; it's for the boys and for the country."
All Blacks Matchday 23 for Wallabies Test at Eden Park:
1 - Ethan de Groot, 2 - Codie Taylor (Captain), 3 - Fletcher Newell, 4 - Scott Barrett (89), 5 - Josh Lord, 6 - Tupou Vaa'i, 7 - Peter Lakai, 8 - Wallace Sititi, 9 - Cam Roigard, 10 - Damian McKenzie, 11 - Leroy Carter, 12 - Jordie Barrett, 13 - Quinn Tupaea, 14 - Will Jordan, 15 - Beauden Barrett.
Reserves:
16 - Asafo Aumua, 17 - George Bower, 18 - Pasilio Tosi, 19 - Shannon Frizell, 20 - Anton Segner, 21 - Kyle Preston, 22 - Rieko Ioane, 23 - Josh Moorby.
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