KEY POINTS:
Ireland arrive in Wellington tomorrow - about the same time their All Blacks rivals gather in the capital to prepare for the first test of the season.
The All Blacks wider training group will be sliced to accommodate those Crusaders who will be included for the test against Ireland, two against England and the prolonged Tri-Nations series.
Judging the names in that 26-strong group is a bit of a lottery, because of the number picked in the initial training group who have shown mixed form this season.
It is hard to know whether Sione Lauaki, Daniel Braid, Neemia Tialata, John Schwalger, Stephen Donald and Richard Kahui, whose form for all sorts of reasons, has been inconsistent, will be retained - or if any new blokes, such as Paul Williams, Adam Thomson, Anthony Boric, Kevin O'Neill or Tom Donnelly will make the cut.
There is also uncertainty about whether Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll will travel with the team or take a later flight with Geordan Murphy and Eion Reddan, who are in the English premiership final.
O'Driscoll was due to play for Ireland in a midweek match at Twickenham against the Barbarians but withdrew after the death of a close friend.
There has been a growing clamour for young Luke Fitzgerald to be tried at centre against the All Blacks, with his skipper moving in a place to second five-eighths. That idea was going to be trialled against the Barbarians. Fitzgerald is a 20-year-old who is used at Leinster at fullback or wing - but he is being widely touted as the coming star.
With another midfielder, Gordon D'Arcy, unavailable because of a broken hand, the push for an O'Driscoll/Fitzgerald experiment has gained some traction.
The strength of the side will come from the Munster pack who annexed the Heineken Cup, but temporary coach Michael Bradley will also want to mix his selections as the team plays the Wallabies the week after the All Blacks.
Key Munster forwards are players like Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell, men with previous experience in New Zealand.
Official coach Declan Kidney, who succeeded Eddie O'Sullivan, asked to be bypassed for these drive-by internationals because he was more concerned with finishing his contract with Munster in style. He did with a final win against Toulouse but, strangely, it appears he will travel downunder, watching Ireland without having any hands-on duties.
Observers of Irish rugby say the touring squad is the strongest available - but the question, as always, will be how much they are "up" for the short trip.
Meanwhile, the final composition of the All Blacks squad will be decided by those whose form and health emerges unscathed from tonight's Super 14 final, and the fitness of others, like Brendon Leonard, who have been struggling with injury.
The final place in the backs in what should be a 14-12 forwards/backs split may come down to either Casey Laulala or Stephen Brett, with Brett having the option of also playing for the Maori side.
Having signalled a change of loose-forward emphasis and the need to have Daniel Braid as back up for Richie McCaw - and as someone suited better than Chris Masoe to the new laws - there will be interest whether Braid is picked or left to captain the NZ Maori.
The last loose-forward place may be a toss-up between Lauaki and Thomson because of the others' versatility.
One bolter could be Ben Franks, or Wyatt Crockett from the Crusaders' front row. Crockett is the developing loosehead, Franks can play either side of the scrum and if not chosen by the All Blacks is eligible for the Wallabies.
POSSIBLE SQUAD
Backs: Mils Muliaina, Leon MacDonald, Anthony Tuitavake, Rudi Wulf, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Conrad Smith, Casey Laulala, Ma'a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Daniel Carter, Brendon Leonard, Andrew Ellis.
Forwards: Rodney So'oialo, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Kieran Read, Sione Laukai, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Anthony Boric, Greg Somerville, John Afoa, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Ben Franks.Form and fitness after Super 14 final will determine All Blacks' side
