Ian Foster has no shortage of selection conundrums facing him as he closes in on naming his 23 for the first test against Ireland at Eden Park on Saturday.
It's a test the All Blacks will want to win well. Everyone remembers Dublin in November, where the Irish dominated the collision and outmuscled the All Blacks to take a 29-20 win.
That, along with Paris a week later, will have lingered long in the minds of the Foster and co. and he'll be demanding a much-improved showing in their first test of the year.
One of the interesting selections will be the makeup of the loose forwards.
By sticking with Sam Cane as captain, he's locked in his starting openside flanker. That means the country's form openside Dalton Papalii either has to come off the bench or move to blindside.
In speaking to the All Blacks selectors last week, it's clear a Cane, Papalii and Ardie Savea loose forward trio are very much favoured.
Yes, it means Papalii will have to play out of position at blindside, but his form is simply too strong to not be starting.
With the country's best no.6 Ethan Blackadder out for the season, it means the other option would be to start Akira Ioane. His performance, or lack thereof, in the Super Rugby final, should have raised alarm bells for Foster.
Ioane has long shown he's a powerful ball runner but his inability - or perhaps unwillingness - to make an impact at the collision zone as his side was outmuscled, out-thought and simply outplayed by the Crusaders, was not in keeping with what should be expected of an international loose forward.
In the backs, the old firm of Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett will pair as the obvious call at nine and 10 - as long as Smith is clear of the groin strain that kept him out of the Super Rugby quarter-final.
Barrett has been the best first-five in the competition by some distance, making it a relatively easy call for Foster.
The midfield is less certain but David Havili showed in the Super Rugby final just what the All Blacks get out of him at second-five. He carried powerfully and kept his opposite Roger Tuivasa-Sheck quiet all night, to the point where the Blues' second-five was pulled after just 44 minutes.
Rieko Ioane continues to grow at centre and looks more comfortable with every game. An easy pairing alongside Havili.
The other big call will be at fullback, where both Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett have been in strong form for the Crusaders and Hurricanes.
Expect Foster to stick with the same formula he used last year to allow both men on the park at the same time, with Jordan shifting to the right-wing. Barrett has carried a slight knee injury into this campaign, so will need to prove his fitness first.
That allows Leicester Fainga'anuku to fill the final back spot on the bench. Foster may want to bide his time with the debutants this year, but Fainga'anuku is one who's been in electric form for the Crusaders and clearly has a big future in the All Blacks - no need to hold him back, get him in the mix straight away.
Foster will want to start this series with a bang and remind the Irish this is no one-sided rivalry.
A big win at the All Blacks' long-standing fortress is the perfect way to do that.
Predicted team: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Sam Whitelock, 6-Dalton Papalii, 7-Sam Cane (c), 8-Ardie Savea, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-David Havili, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Will Jordan, 15-Jordie Barrett.
Reserves: 16-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18-Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 19-Scott Barrett, 20-Akira Ioane, 21-Finlay Christie, 22-Richie Mo'unga, 23-Leicester Fainga'anuku.
Ollie Ritchie is Newshub's rugby reporter.
