Ian Foster has revealed his first selection hand as All Blacks coach, with the announcement of the squads for next weekend's North v South match.
Beauden Barrett's been included as the only first five in the North team setting up a mouth-watering duel with the South's Richie Mo'unga, which may go some way to determining who wears the black No.10 jersey.
Barrett made an immediate impact for the Blues when he finally got a chance at first-five, and Ian Foster's now looking for a similar impact one level higher.
"I think he's a 10 who plays 15," Fosters says, referring to Barrett's late-season shift from fullback for the Blues.
"We see this as a chance for him to get another game under his belt and get used to playing there again."
It also offers a chance to put him up against Mo'unga, who was arguably Super Rugby Aotearoa's MVP.
But doubt remains over whether the match-up will eventuate. Barrett is one of a dozen Blues players who could require exemption to leave Auckland and travel to Wellington when the squads assemble on Monday.
"Clearly there's a few hurdles we have to climb for that to be able to happen." Foster adds.
If the game does go ahead as planned, Barrett against Mounga won't be the only matchup to get excited about.
Rieko Ioane's successful shift to centre for the Blues has been noticed by the selectors, and it's where he'll line-up in this fixture alongside Anton Lienert-Brown in what may be a preview of the future All Blacks midfield.
"We're excited about seeing him and Anton [Lienert-Brown] together up against Jack [Goodhue] and Brayden [Ennor]," says national selector Grant Fox.
"I think that will be a matchup as mouth watering as Richie v Beauden."
There's also good news for brother Akira Ioane. Out of favour with the All Blacks last year, he's been picked ahead of Highlanders stand-out Marino Mikaele Tu.
"It was a lack of space available," Foster says of Mikaele-Tu'u's exclusion.
"But again, he's a player that's gone really well."
Patrick Tuipuloutu, whose form for the Blues during Super Rugby Aotearoa was instrumental to their runner-up finish, will captain the North against test teammate Sam Whitelock, who will lead the South.
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