All Blacks: Coaches set on glorious end to Carisbrook era

Victor Vito says his brief foray against Ireland allowed him to get his head around the rigours of the international test environment. Photo / Getty Images

Victor Vito is the solitary All Black change as coaches search for the winning formula to farewell Carisbrook as a test venue on Saturday.

The All Blacks' last two visits to the south have brought defeats, against the Springboks in 2008 and France last season.

Captain Richie McCaw did not play in either of those losses and Saturday's match in Dunedin will be the first time he has captained the All Blacks at Carisbrook. His first test as captain came against Wales with a nerve-jangling single-point victory in Cardiff in 2004.

One of his loose forward allies will be Vito who gets his start because Jerome Kaino's calf muscle is still tender. Kaino may yet be on the bench as Adam Thomson has picked up a back injury.

Vito, who had the matai title of high chief bestowed on him by his ancestral village of Fasito'o Uta several weeks ago, is the only change as the selectors search for more accuracy from their new and retreaded combinations.

At New Plymouth, Vito reckons the five minutes he got before halftime allowed him to soak up the occasion and deal with the nerves before he headed into the fray again.

"I worked hard when I came on, made quite a few tackles, but there were a few things like running lines and defensive lines that need to be sorted out this week," he said.

The physical demands of Super 14 had prepared him well for his test debut but the pace and intensity of the test was up a notch.

"We are definitely expecting a tough game this weekend and hopefully the numerical advantage does not come into play again," he said.

The repeat faith from the selectors offered the starting XV another chance to cement their claims for the Tri-Nations segment of their schedule.

He was cover for No 8, but preferred playing blindside at the start of his All Black career. There were more technical and organisational demands from the back of the scrum.

Coach Graham Henry said it was important his side rectify the twin hiccups at Carisbrook.

"Until the last couple of years it has been a fortress," he said. "It is a great surface and players enjoy being here because the spectators are close and very vocal."

Carisbrook was an iconic ground, he said, but the shift next year to New Zealand's first indoor stadium would be superb.

This week if possible, he wanted to give Tony Woodcock, Thomson (if fit) and Richard Kahui some time from the bench because they were not involved in New Plymouth.

The selectors felt it was better to use Piri Weepu from the bench, Tom Donnelly would play club rugby this weekend, the omitted Neemia Tialata had some things to work on and Zac Guildford was likely to find himself starting next week at Waikato Stadium in the second test against Wales.

Mils Muliaina would play club rugby this weekend but remained an uncertain starter for the test in Hamilton.

"It is frustrating. Mils is getting better, the graph is slowly going up and he is frustrated with it. But his leg's not right, it is as simple as that.

"He will come right at some stage and the sooner the better."

While Henry found the injuries irritating, it gave others a chance and offered even greater competition for places as Israel Dagg had shown with his debut at fullback last week.

Muliaina had been a world-class player with world-class attitude ever since his 2003 debut, Henry said. But the All Blacks coach said the challenges Dagg was bringing would strengthen the group.