Coach Steve Hansen wants to see more from his dual-playmakers Richie Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett when the All Blacks take on Canada on Wednesday night.
Hansen had hinted before the tournament that he might rotate the two-time World Player of the year Barrett and Mo'unga at first-five during the pool matches.
But both have been named to start in their second World Cup Pool B contest in Oita, as Hansen looks to continue to evolve their combination.
"I just want to give them time together," said Hansen. "I think it's important… I just want them to be on the park together.
The duo has played four games together since their initial test drive during the Rugby Championship draw against the Springboks with varying degrees of success.
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"They haven't played may tests together so they just need more time… not saying it's not clicking or anything like that, it's just time."
Among the slew of selection changes from their opener against South Africa, Rieko Ioane will reclaim the No.11 jersey he once had a mortgage on for his first start since the Bledisloe capitulation in Perth last month.
In his place, Crusaders wing George Bridge has snatched his opportunities with some outstanding displays, which have left Ioane's prospects of regaining his starting spot looking sketchier by the day.
But Hansen insists Ioane is far from on the outer and still well in the reckoning for the first-choice side when the business end of the World Cup arrives.
"He's in the contest against two other guys who are playing wonderful rugby, and we know that he can also play wonderful rugby.
"It's important that he comes out and plays well and he doesn't get too caught up in that contest - that he does the small things well, and the big things will come for him.
"Once he does that, and I'm sure he will, then the pressure comes back on the selectors."
Ioane's counterpart on the left wing will be Jordie Barrett, another who's jostling to establish his regular spot in the game-day 23.
Though Hansen confirms Barrett is brimming with self-belief, there's one particular area he wants to see the Hurricanes utility progress.
"He has every right to be confident. He's a very skilled player, and it's not his confidence we have to get right it's his understanding and his pace of how he wants to play.
"He wants to do everything at 100 miles an hour...but I'm pretty excited about where he's going to end up one day."
Meanwhile, returning midfielder Jack Goodhue - who has spent almost two months on the sidelines with a hamstring issue - has nothing to prove besides his fitness, says Hansen.
"He doesn't have to show us that he's a n international rugby player, we already know that. What he's got to do is get out and get some minutes into his legs.
"He'll only play maybe 30,40, 50 minutes but its important he gets through that and gets through it well."
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