While all eyes are focused on the 'Beaudy v Richie' battle for the All Blacks No.10 jersey, Saturday's North v South showdown will provide other intriguing match-ups at Wellington's Sky Stadium.
New national coach Ian Foster has already indicated he doesn't see two-time World Player of the Year Beaden Barrett as a fullback, where he was preferred during the 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign.
With incumbent first-five Richie Mo'unga heralded as the unofficial Super Rugby Aoteroa MVP, guiding the Crusaders to a fourth consecutive title (albeit NZ only), his head-to-head clash with Barrett seems likely to decide who has first dibs on running the All Blacks cutter moving forward.
So the question now begs, if not Barrett at fullback, then who?
The selectors have pitted Hurricanes No.15 Jordie Barrett - another Super Rugby Aotearoa standout representing the South this week - against Chiefs rival Damian McKenzie, who never quite recaptured the form that made him integral to All Blacks planning, before his season-ending injury last year.
While that pair will start with the '15' jerseys, don't be surprised to see winger Will Jordan switch positions for the South at some stage, as he pursues an inevitable call-up to the national squad.
Here's how the other positions stack up across the park:
PROPS - Tu'inukuafe & Tuungafasi (North) v Moody & Laulala (South)
These four scrum pillars are tried and tested at international level, although Tu'inukuafe was deemed unwanted (too immobile?) for the World Cup last year.
Blues partner-in-crime Tuungafasi has been the big improver this season, but they'll line up against the incumbent All Blacks front row, with Moody and Laulala starting against England (semis) and Wales (bronze-medal playoff) in Japan.
HOOKERS - Aumua (North) v Taylor (South)
Dane Coles has been a groundbreaking performer in the All Blacks No.2 jersey, but as his injury-plagued career winds down, it's time to groom his successor and Hurricanes understudy Aumua looms as that man, with a much improved and more consistent showing this season.
He'll have a chance to gauge his progress against established international Codie Taylor.
LOCKS - Tuipulotu & Vaa'i (North) v Whitelock & Dunshea (South)
With Brodie Retallick and Scott Barrett out of commission, Whitelock and Tuipulotu appeal as the All Blacks' starting second row, with a bunch of rookies scrambling for their back-up roles.
Tuipulotu is another whose stocks have risen dramatically during Super Rugby Aotearoa and his combination with Chiefs newcomer Tupou Vaa'i offers exciting athleticism, compared with the 'engineroom' qualities of their southern counterparts.
LOOSE FORWARDS - Ioane, Savea & Sotutu (North) v Frizell, Christie & Sanders (South)
With All Blacks skipper Sam Cane sitting out, this looms as a battle royale to decide which number Ardie Savea wears and who fills the other starting spot.
If Cane is our No.7, Savea could slot in at blindside or No.8, with everyone else clambering for that remaining vacancy. Shannon Frizell offers experience at No.6, Christie is our next great openside, while Ioane and Sotutu have certainly enhanced their reputations for the Blues this season.
Notable among the reserves is Lachlan Boshier, who seemed certain for an All Blacks call-up before COVID-19 lockdown, but now seems on the back foot, after the Chiefs' winless Aotearoa campaign.
HALFBACKS - Perenara (North) v Weber (South)
Despite being named among the South reserves, Aaron Smith surely hasn't slipped from the top perch, so this looms as a battle for his back-up spot.
Without Beauden Barrett outside him at the Hurricanes, TJ Perenara was often thrust into the playmaker role - literally moving to first-five late in contests - and his form seemed to suffer.
On the other hand, Weber was one of the few whose reputation didn't seem to suffer from the Chiefs' struggles and is bidding to move up the pecking order.
MIDFIELD - Lienert-Brown & Ioane (North) v Goodhue & Ennor (South)
After missing lWorld Cup selection, this contest could have been Ngani Laumape's chance to prove he belongs in the All Blacks jersey, especially after his barnstorming performance for the Hurricanes against the Blues in July.
Instead, it looms as an opportunity for Rieko Ioane to take his transformation from wing to centre to the next level.
But please don't call this an inter-island match-up - Jack Goodhue and Braydon Ennor are both notherners transplanted by the Crusaders, making a mockery of this format.
WINGERS - Clarke & Reece (North) v Bridge & Jordan (South)
Ioane's switch to centre has opened up at least one spot on the wing.
While Sevu Reece and George Bridge were preferred at the World Cup, Caleb Clarke and Jordan have put their hands up big-time during Super Rugby Aotearoa, and surely their time will come sooner or later.
Their prospects depend largely on those playing in front of them - how well Barrett and Mo'unga distribute the ball they receive from the forwards. There's no reason to believe the wingers won't see plenty of action.
NORTH: 1-Karl Tu'inukuafe 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Ofa Tuungafasi, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 5-Tupou Vaa'i, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Ardie Savea, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-TJ Perenara, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Anton Lienert-Brown, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Sevu Reece, 15-Damian McKenzie
Replacements: 16-Ash Dixon, 17-Ayden Johnstone, 18-Angus Ta'avao, 19-Scott Scrafton, 20- Dalton Papalii, 21-Aaron Smith, 22-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 23-Mitchell Hunt
Missed selection: Kurt Eklund, Alex Fidow, Lachlan Boshier, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Mark Telea,
SOUTH: 1-Joe Moody, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Samuel Whitelock (captain), 5-Mitchell Dunshea, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Tom Christie, 8-Tom Sanders, 9-Brad Weber, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-George Bridge, 12-Jack Goodhue, 13-Brayden Ennor, 14-Will Jordan, 15-Jordie Barrett
Replacements: 16-Liam Coltman, 17-George Bower, 18-Tyrel Lomax, 19-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20-Dillon Hunt, 21-Finlay Christie, 22-Josh Ioane, 23-Leicester Faingaanuku
Missed selection: Andrew Makalio, Alex Hodgman, Reed Prinsep, Mitchell Drummond, Sio Tomkinson
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