The immediate picture at first-five is one of the more lively and fascinating in the squad as Daniel Carter was forced yesterday to pull out of the Canterbury team to play in the ITM Cup semifinal and is not certain to travel to the US and Europe with the All Blacks.
Head coach Steve Hansen confirmed that Carter will be named in the 33-man squad for the end of year tour on Monday, but that's not a guarantee the 100-test veteran will actually get on the plane.
Carter is not far from full fitness. He has an ongoing problem, however, that the nerves on his previously broken leg haven't settled and any blows in that area are being felt more than they should.
An open mind is being retained on his chances of coming right to play in Chicago.
"We have got to name the team on Monday," said Hansen.
"Being open and honest about it, he'll be named on Monday. And then we will have to make some assessments about whether he is right to play and when he's right to play.
"We want to take him on the tour if he is right. He's pretty good. He's able to train fully but he just can't take a knock on it -- and I'm speaking on limited information because I'm over here and he's over there -- but the nerves haven't settled down enough for him to respond well to a knock on it. That's what is affecting him."
How the next few weeks play out at first-five will be an endless source of interest. It is currently advantage Barrett.
The 23-year-old, who started the season as the third choice and in serious danger of forever being branded an impact man off the bench, suddenly finds himself in possession of a jersey he must have wondered whether he would ever wear.
Perseverance and a bit of luck got him into the jersey a few weeks ago in Napier, but his composure and performance have kept him there.
There has been a measured calm about Barrett in his three starts and a continual improvement. His kicking game needs a bit of work and his defence could benefit from being a bit more robust, but that's essentially nit-picking.
In the near impossible business of managing the gameplan and implementing the strategy, he's played above expectation and, on that basis, the selectors felt it would be wrong to return him to the bench now that Cruden is available again.
Hansen was keen to emphasise that Cruden's omission from the 23 has nothing to do with off-field events.
"He's definitely not getting punished," said Hansen.
"He's back in the group because we want him in the group. He hasn't made the 23 simply because we felt Barrett has been playing well enough to get another go at first-five.
"At this stage he's [Barrett] probably got his nose in front but Crudes is probably going to get a start pretty shortly.
"He'll have something to say about that.
"Once we made that decision then it was about what is best for our bench and Sladey [Colin Slade] covers so many different positions, it was an obvious choice."
Much like the test at Ellis Park, Hansen is predicting that in the heat of Brisbane and with both sides having returned from arduous away legs of the Rugby Championship, the contribution of the bench will be vital.
Fast, intense and furious is the prediction within the All Black camp and there is absolutely no thought given to the Wallabies being adversely effected by their ongoing dramas surrounding Kurtley Beale.
"The week the Wallabies have had will make them really, really dangerous," said Hansen.
"They have certainly got their backs against the wall and they have got nowhere to go but to come out and try to show their fans, their public and themselves that they are good rugby players.
"I don't think that is even in question. They are very good rugby players and I see them being very dangerous."
Barrett v Cruden
Rugby Championship
Mins: 276 v 196
Points: 30 v 37
Kicking success: 70.6% v 77.8%
Carries: 28 v 22
Metres gained: 120 v 100
Clean breaks: 2 v 1
Defenders beaten: 8 v 3
Try assists: 3 v 1
Tackles: 25 v 17
Tackles missed: 3 v 3
Turnovers conceded: 9 v 4
- Gregor Paul of the New Zealand Herald