The All Black captain Richie McCaw will not play in Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with Australia in Sydney.
McCaw returned to training with the All Blacks this week and had been bracketed with Daniel Braid on the openside, but he has not recovered sufficiently from the ankle sparin he suffered against England last month.
Braid will start in the number 7 jersey, his first match for the All Blacks in 5 years, with Rodney So'oialo again leading the side.
Adam Thomson goes into the reserves.
