KEY POINTS:
There's to be no respite for the Irish as the All Blacks will put out their top combination for the second stage of their tilt at the Grand Slam.
New father Mils Muliaina is back at fullback after a two-test lull on nappy duties and wing Joe Rokocoko will earn his 50th cap at Croke Park on his comeback campaign after a frustrating year of injury.
Conrad Smith has retained his place at centre where he will continue his growing midfield partnership with Ma'a Nonu as the selectors have kept faith with the bulk of those who were available and played in the deciding Bledisloe Cup contest at Brisbane.
Richard Kahui is pushing hard for selection at centre but the panel probably felt Smith has played very soundly, has not done anything wrong and has worked up an improving association with Nonu.
Kahui's preference to be judged at centre and Rokocoko's return to full fitness has opened up the way for the 25-year-old winger to regain his test place and work further into the form which has made him one of the world's most lethal finishers.
His cause was helped because neither Hosea Gear nor Anthony Tuitavake have as much broad appeal for what could yet prove to be the toughest encounter of the gruelling five-week expedition.
The serious ankle injury to Andrew Hore and retirement of Greg Somerville have opened up further chances for Keven Mealamu and Neemia Tialata in the front row where the All Blacks will be looking to be more effective than they were against Scotland.
Forwards coach Steve Hansen has explained Tialata is much better starting a test than coming off the bench where he can cover both sides of the scrum. Tialata scrums strongly but can lose his impact if a game opens up or gets straggly, a time when John Afoa's greater athleticism kicks in.
Lock Ali Williams is the only player in the squad to be chosen to start his third straight test, this time in partnership with Brad Thorn who was rested against Scotland. The curiosity will be whether Williams is also to be used against Wales and England in the final two internationals.
Kieran Read, the all-purpose Crusader loose forward, has claimed the reserve post after his solid start against Scotland and ahead of Adam Thomson who also covers several positions and probably kept Read out of the squad earlier in the year.
Read's display against Scotland earned him high praise from Hansen and that showing, his leadership and versatility has pushed him ahead of Thomson or Liam Messam.
Similarly, Isaia Toeava's utility strengths have made him a valuable component on the bench. He has recovered fully from the knock to his shoulder which caused him to leave Murrayfield at halftime against Scotland and took a full part in the first training run in Ireland.
So did Muliaina who joined the tour late after tending to the needs of his first child. He claimed he'd had a great first night's sleep in Dublin and had not felt any effects of the long plane trip through Hong Kong and London to the Emerald Isle.
The injury to Hore has promoted Corey Flynn to the reserves bench after he came on at Murrayfield last weekend for his fourth test - four years after earning his last cap against Italy in 2004.
Croke Park is being used for Ireland's home internationals while Lansdowne Rd's refurbishing continues and tickets for the 82,000 capacity ground sold out rapidly. So quickly that a number of Irish rugby fans travelled to Edinburgh to get a chance to watch the All Blacks play live last weekend.
All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Corey Flynn, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.
Ireland
Girvan Dempsey, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Luke Fitzgerald, Robert Kearney, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Alan Quinlan, Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, John Hayes, Rory Best, Marcus Horan.
Reserves: Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley, Stephen Ferris, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Paddy Wallace, Keith Earls.
