All Black colossus Jonah Lomu on Tuesday was dropped from a new look side for Saturday's Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup match against Australia.
Also missing is centre Tana Umaga.
Five players are all that remain from the starters in the last match between the two sides in Sydney last year when Australia won 29-26. They are: Greg Sommerville, Chris Jack, Norm Maxwell, Andrew Mehrtens, Doug Howlett.
Only Sunday, Lomu was quoted as saying it was "payback time" for the All Blacks in their quest to regain some of their former dominance of their trans-Tasman rivals.
But they will now have to do it without him. He has played 59 Tests and scored 35 tries, but All Black coach John Mitchell has decided to go with Auckland flyer Doug Howlett and the Crusaders wing Caleb Ralph.
Another Crusader, Mark Robinson has been preferred in the centre position that was Umaga's preserve while his Canterbury team-mate Daryl Gibson has been included as cover in the reserves.
Lomu and Umaga's Hurricanes team-mate Christian Cullen will resume his Tri-Nations career after Leon MacDonald was ruled out as a result of the head clash he suffered during the Fiji Test 10 days ago.
Ben Blair, an All Black in Europe last year and understudy to MacDonald in the Crusaders, has been named as cover for both Cullen and the wing threequarters.
Experienced halfback Justin Marshall has been preferred ahead of Byron Kelleher. Easily the most experienced halfback in All Black history, Marshall has played 56 Test matches, most of those in partnership with Andrew Mehrtens.
The Canterbury influence continues with No 8 Scott Robertson having been given the job of holding out the Australian dynamo Toutai Kefu. He heads off Otago and former All Black captain Taine Randell who will be on the bench.
The rest of the forward pack is predictable with the front row made up of Greg Sommerville and David Hewett as the props and Mark Hammett at hooker.
Team: Christian Cullen, Doug Howlett, Mark Robinson, Aaron Mauger, Caleb Ralph, Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Scott Robertson, Richard McCaw, Reuben Thorne (captain), Norm Maxwell, Chris Jack, Greg Somerville, Mark Hammett, Dave Hewett.
Reserves: Tom Willis, Joe McDonnell, Simon Maling, Taine Randell, Byron Kelleher, Daryl Gibson, Ben Blair.