Henry defends selection policy

Henry continued to rotate his squad by announcing three changes for the Eden Park encounter, as he believes the full strength and depth of his squad will be tested in the run-up to France and beyond.

"If you have got 30 guys in France for 57 days and some people don't play any rugby, I think that would break the team apart as a unit," Henry said. "So I think we have got to keep everyone happy as much as we can and keep everybody on the ball and everybody involved and I think that will pull the unit together and make sure the spirit is there."

He added: "And also, as I continue to say, in your so-called number-one line-up if you get an injury and you have to replace that person and say it is a semi-final in the World Cup or a final, and you get a key player injured and the other guy has not played for three months, we would be shot by you and everybody else.

"So we just have to be intelligent in what we do here and make sure we get the balance right, what is right for the spirit of the group and make sure if someone does get injured that we have another player who can take his place."

Flanker Jerry Collins, recalled to the side at Reuben Thorne's expense on the blindside, was the latest All Black to reveal a level of frustration with the selection policy.

The one-time captain fell short of criticising team management, but did follow senior team-mates Aaron Mauger and Keven Mealamu in expressing a preference to be included in a settled side.

"Sometimes it is just the nature of the game," he said. "You can't expect to play every week, you've just got to take it on the chin like everyone else does."

Collins, Byron Kelleher and Anton Oliver come into the side to start the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations decider in Auckland.

Jo Rokocoko, a late replacement for Sitiveni Sivivatu in the win over South Africa in Christchurch last week, retains his place on the left wing.