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Posted: 2024-09-26 00:57:59

The Wallabies have named Wiradjuri man Dylan Pietsch on the wing for his first Test start for the second Bledisloe Cup mach against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday night (5:05pm AEST).

Waratahs scrum half Jake Gordon is the only other change to the starting side from the team narrowly defeated in Sydney 31-28 last Saturday.

The All Blacks have already secured the Bledisloe Cup, for a 22nd straight year, but the Wallabies will want to end their Rugby Championship campaign on a high.

The Wallabies have not beaten the Kiwis in New Zealand since 2001.

ABC Sport will be live blogging the Bledisloe Cup clash from 4:00pm AEST on Saturday.

There are no changes to the pack, the first time Australia has named an unchanged forward pack since the first Rugby World Cup match last year.

Melbourne product Isaac Kailea returns to the matchday 23 as a front row replacement alongside Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Allan Alaalatoa.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Langi Gleeson are the other forwards on the bench.

Tate McDermott and Ben Donaldson are the replacement halves. Reds utility Josh Flook rounds out the bench.

"We didn't help ourselves last weekend falling behind early to a fast moving, high tempo All Blacks side," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said.

"We know we will need to start better than we did last week, with the physical edge and accuracy required."

Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie stand next to each other

Beauden Barrett (left) has taken the 10 shirt from Damian McKenzie.  (Getty Images: Hagen Hopkins)

Meanwhile, All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has moved Damian McKenzie on from number 10 as he searches for answers to New Zealand's scratchy form under his tenure, with Beauden Barrett starting from the pivotal position on Saturday.

New Zealand will be packed with experience in Wellington, with all but one of the run-on team — blindside flanker Wallace Sititi — with at least 20 Tests.

Former captain Sam Cane, who will earn his 100th cap, and hometown hero TJ Perenara, back in the XV for Cortez Ratima, will make their last international appearances in New Zealand.

Both are off to play club rugby in Japan next season, making them ineligible to wear a black shirt.

"This will be a particularly special night for Sam and TJ and the boys will put in a performance that honours their contribution to this team," Robertson said.

"Sam will be joining an exclusive club of All Black centurions which is testament to his fortitude and work ethic.

"As a Wellington man and the most-capped Hurricane of all time we know that TJ is a crowd favourite in the capital and we look forward to him expressing himself on the field in front of friends and whanau at home."

McKenzie will start on the bench.

The All Blacks cannot win the Rugby Championship after an inconsistent run in the southern hemisphere championship.

Robertson's side has lost twice to South Africa and a home Test to Argentina to sit third in the standings — above only the hapless Australia.

ALL BLACKS TEAM FOR BLEDISLOE II:

Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett (capt), Tupou Vaa'i, Wallace Sititi, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Luke Jacobson, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, David Havili.

AP/AAP

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