Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is backing the former Queensland Reds combination of James O'Connor and Tate McDermott in a quest to rid their slow starts against the All Blacks.
The pairing helped the Queensland Reds to a Super Rugby AU title in 2021, with O'Connor making the quick return from England after setting up life in Leicester.
Watch the Wallabies tackle the All Blacks live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
"I think it was really probably just around a change at nine already, and so he's probably got quite a long-term relationship with Tate, that they've gone back a wee way with the Reds, and so it was just really an opportunity for a little bit more experience," Schmidt told reporters.
"[Letting O'Connor go to the UK] decision was made a little while before he went back, but he was going back to set his flat up and get his dog over there. He booked his dog to go over and his partner, so they stuck with that.
"He got across there, caught up with Geoff [Parling, Leicester coach] for a couple of days, and it was always part of the plan. It was a fallow week for us, so there was a window to do it.
"It's probably not ideal that there was a bit of travel in that, but it just allowed him to set himself up beyond these next two weeks, so I guess he could be free in just focusing on what's immediately in front of us, which is a very big challenge."
McDermott earns the start in his 50th Test appearance, with Jake Gordon a week away from being 100% fit as Nic White finally enjoys retired life.
As a result, Ryan Lonergan is set to make his Test appearance off the bench after several years spending time in the squad without a breakthrough cap.
"He's getting back to where he needs to be, and I think by the time next week comes, he'll be fully ready but just to put him in a little bit underdone, I think in a game that could be very fast-paced, we didn't believe was in his best interest," Schmidt notes on Gordon.
"Ryan Lonergan has been sitting in the squad for a while, waiting for his opportunity. He's super fit, he's sharp, he's conditioned in terms of fitting into the squad."
It comes with the Wallabies hunting for their first win at Eden Park in close to 40 years and an All Blacks side fresh off a record defeat to the Springboks.
"I think it's going to be a pressure cooker. We don't have the luxury of being at home, of being at a ground where we were last week or last game. Tane [Edmed] was at his home ground effectively, so it was a more familiar opportunity for him to put [the] number 10 on for the first time in a gold jersey," Schmidt said.
"James has done well for us when he's come off the bench or when he started. Obviously, he started the first game in South Africa and did a good job."
To ensure they head into next week's sold-out Bledisloe with the series still live, Schmidt knows they need to eradicate their slow starts from their games.
It's been a common trend for the Wallabies in 2025, forced to overhaul significant margins against South Africa and Argentina for famous victories, whilst proving too hard to claw back last start against Los Pumas.
"Personally, as a coach, I'm sick of watching us getting behind and having to fight our way back, but I'm also incredibly admirable of the manner in which they do that," the Wallabies coach explained.
"I think against the All Blacks, [we] can't afford to give them that head start, because they can just keep getting further away from you, particularly if we start over-chasing the game and start over-playing and the game becomes too loose.
"We like to play an open, fast game, and so do the All Blacks, I'm hoping that it's a great advertisement for the game, and it's a competitive game, but we need to start well for that to be the case, I think."
