The New Zealand coach John Mitchell will field a virtual second-string side against England in Saturday's Test at Twickenham, albeit one that contains England's bogeyman Jonah Lomu.
Mitchell has included only two players who started New Zealand's last Test, against South Africa in August, and nine of his squad are uncapped.
Mitchell insisted that he had chosen a team specifically to play England. It contains no survivors from the pack that played in the win in Durban three months ago and with Andrew Mehrtens relegated to the bench, only Tana Umaga and Doug Howlett survive behind the scrum.
"We have an eye on the immediacy, which is England, and the World Cup, which is the bigger picture," said Mitchell. "By introducing a number of new faces this tour, we will have some 47 players to choose from next year.
"We are not being disrespectful to England because we have chosen a team to win: this is a unique fixture at the home of rugby and royalty and anyone who thinks that this is a weak team should reserve their judgment."
New Zealand were the last team to defeat England at Twickenham, winning 30-16 in the 1999 World Cup thanks in large measure to Lomu. Fifteen consecutive home victories have followed. England's manager Clive Woodward said that he was not taking the 16th for granted.
"We have to keep our feet on the ground and just do our job," he said. "I am expecting a full-out assault from the team in black. There might be an element of the unknown in certain positions for the All Blacks, but there is no doubt that we have got to be at our best to win."
Mitchell has recalled Carlos Spencer, who has not played international rugby for two years, to replace the 63-cap Mehrtens and partner his Auckland half-back colleague Steve Devine, who was given International Rugby Board permission this week to play for New Zealand despite playing sevens for his native Australia.
Woodward has surprised many by relegating his flanker Neil Back to the bench.
"It is not the end of Neil Back, not by a long way," said the England assistant coach Andy Robinson. "Neil was not dropped because of poor form - he has had an excellent season - but it was felt that Lewis Moody deserved his chance. Neil has taken his omission on the chin and he has been outstanding in training. He should not be written off in any way, shape or form."
Moody will play at blind-side flanker with Hill operating on the open side, as he did with considerable success for the Lions in Australia last year until concussion ruled him out halfway through the series.
"When we returned from Argentina I knew then that if Lewis started the season well he would play against New Zealand," Woodward said. "He deserves his chance."
The burden of expectation on Saturday will be on England. Anything less than a big win would be a moral victory for the All Blacks.
"We are massive underdogs," said the New Zealand captain Taine Randell. "They have a hard core of experience at forward and a tremendous record at Twickenham while we have a lot of class players at home in New Zealand."
New Zealand: Blair (Canterbury); Howlett (Auckland), Umaga (Wellington), Lowen (Waikato), Lomu (Wellington); Spencer (Auckland), Devine (Auckland); McDonnell (Otago), Hore (Taranaki), Meeuws (Auckland), Williams (Auckland), Robinson (Waikato), Randell (Otago, capt), Holah (Waikato), Broomhall (Canterbury). Replacements: Mealamu (Auckland), Hayman (Otago), Mika (Auckland), So'oialo (Wellington), Lee (Otago), Mehrtens (Canterbury), Robinson (Canterbury).
