All Blacks named for Japan clash

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will get his shot at the No 12 jersey. Photo: Getty Images

Tuivasa-Sheck will get his shot at the No 12 jersey, while Perofeta starts at fullback in a team also featuring five players returning from injury.

Halfback Finlay Christie has been named to play his second test in the No 9 jersey, while Aaron Smith provides cover. If required to take the field, Smith will equal Dan Carter as the sixth-most capped All Black with 112 tests.

Braydon Ennor will partner Tuivasa-Sheck in midfield, while Anton Lienert-Brown is set to earn his first cap since November last year from the bench, after missing the start of the international season due to a shoulder injury.

Six players have been retained from the team's win over Australia in Auckland, which clinched the Rugby Championship.

Balancing continuity while building experience across the squad has been part of this week's focus for head coach Ian Foster.

"This Northern Tour is going to be huge," said Foster. "We see four incredibly tough tests ahead and this one against Japan will ask some serious questions of us.

"We want to show that we are ready to respond. We want to show that we have put in the work required to lift our game even further after the Rugby Championship.

"We have a lot of respect for Japanese rugby, the fans and the culture of this country as a whole. What an exciting way to kick off the next part of our journey as a group."

The All Blacks make their debut at Japan National Stadium which recently hosted the Olympic Games.

With a sell-out crowd of 65,000, it will be Japan's largest ever crowd in an international rugby match played outside the 2019 World Cup.

The match kicks off at 6.50pm (NZ time). 

All Blacks team

(test caps in brackets)

1. George Bower (19)
2. Dane Coles (84)
3. Nepo Laulala (42)
4. Brodie Retallick (98)
5. Tupou Vaa'i (15)
6. Shannon Frizell (21)
7. Sam Cane (85) (captain)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (12)
9. Finlay Christie (12)
10. Richie Mo'unga (41)
11. Caleb Clarke (11)
12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2)
13. Braydon Ennor (5)
14. Sevu Reece (21)
15. Stephen Perofeta (1)