It's unlikely Aaron Smith will suit up for the All Blacks this weekend despite Tuesday's SOS call from Europe.
The 101-test veteran is currently in a plane bound for Paris after receiving the callup on Monday after Brad Weber suffered a head knock in Rome against the Italians.
TJ Perenara is currently the only fit halfback in the squad, with Blues No.9 Finlay Christie nursing a minor neck injury, but assistant coach John Plumtree says it would be unfair on the 32-year-old Snith to slot him into the cauldron of Dublin's Aviva Stadium against a passionate Irish side.
The All Blacks return to the scene of their shock loss to Ireland in 2018 and for Plumtree, it's about making the right selection decisions with the options they have, but that doesn't include Smith.
"Right now we have three nines in the hunt for this weekend's start,'' Plumtree says. "Aaron is only arriving Wednesday [Thursday NZ time], he does not know what the plan is.
"So it is pretty unrealistic to think that Aaron is going to be playing on the weekend.'
"TJ is pretty happy with his form. All of them are going pretty well.
"Obviously Brad has got these HIA protocols that he is going through this week and Finlay has a little bit of an issue with his neck.
"But he trained today and [we] are expecting him to be fit for the weekend.''
Ireland provide a stiff challenge for an All Blacks side lacking in battle-hardened rugby in more than a month after three dominant victories over the United States, Wales and Italy.
The Irish will be brimming with confidence after hammering a very good Japanese side 60-5 on the weekend, and the 23 could include Kiwi trio Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson Park and James Lowe.
Plumtree certainly expects a tough test after what he calls an "impressive" win over Japan.
"They really outmuscled Japan, that score really surprised a lot of people.
"It shows what type of form they are in."
Meanwhile, the All Blacks' opponents on Sunday morning are equally impressed with what they have seen from the world's number one ranked side.
Renowned playmaker Jonathan Sexton says he has noticed a change in style in the post-Sir Steve Hansen era, pointing to a more defensive-minded gameplan.
"They seem to have put a lot of emphasis on their defence - they have changed," says Sexton, who has been part of two Irish victories over the All Blacks.
"They used to be a soft line-speed on the edges, they wouldn't come up, but they have changed fully now from what we have seen.
"They are very aggressive from the outside in and they put you under pressure.
"Something different to play against compared to the past, but there are still a lot of similarities with how good they are off turnover and at the breakdown; and some of the key individual threats they have.
"Some things have changed but others haven't."
A win for the All Blacks would lock up the number one ranking for 2021.
Join us at 4am Sunday for live updates of the All Blacks v Ireland test
