Hansen banks on Barrett, Laumape

Step up Jordie Barrett. Step up Ngani Laumape. This is the moment you have been waiting all your young lives for.

The rookie Hurricanes duo, with just two test appearances off the bench between them, are the notable selections in the All Blacks starting XV named for Saturday’s monumental series decider against the British and Irish Lions at Eden Park. Throw in the recall of Julian Savea on the left wing, and it’s a lineup few were predicting beforehand.

The All Blacks are seeking to avoid becoming just the second New Zealand side to lose a series to the Lions, and Steve Hansen has not been afraid to throw a couple of inexperienced campaigners into the heat of battle.

It’s a bold selection by the All Blacks coach as he gives the Barrett, 20, his first test start at fullback in a match that all and sundry are saying has all the weight of a World Cup final. And you could say the same about his decision to start Laumape at second five-eighth to replace the suspended Sonny Bill Williams.

It’s also a risky call by the experienced coach as he rolls the dice on the talent and skill of the in-form duo holding steady on the big occasion. The Lions will be licking their lips at the prospect of putting both under as much pressure as they can.

Barrett, younger brother of first-five Beauden, comes in to a reshuffled back three, with Israel Dagg pushed back on to the right wing after starting at No 15 in Wellington and the experienced Savea recalled to the left wing for his 54th test.

That sees both last week’s starting wings, Rieko Ioane and Waisake Naholo, miss out on the match 23 altogether. Naholo had been in head knock protocol, but an All Blacks spokesman confirmed they had not missed selection because of injury.

Laumape, who played 56 minutes off the bench in Wellington after Williams’ red card, gets the nod to partner Anton LienertBrown in midfield, with the recalled Malakai Fekitoa also promoted on to the bench, as outside backs cover.

Laumape, 24, in just his second year back in the XV-a-side code

after a stint with the Warriors in the NRL, had a defensive lapse or two in Wellington, but the coaches liked what they saw of him.

Jordie Barrett will get the chance to show, on the back of his sensational debut season with the Hurricanes, he has the temperament to cope with test rugby at the very highest level.

So far he has given every indication he has the skillset to cope with whatever might come his way on the rugby field. But, after playing just 17 minutes of test rugby off the bench against Samoa, the Lions will probably want to test that for themselves.

‘‘This final match in the series is going to be a cracker,’’ said Hansen. ’’It’s the series we expected it to be. It now comes down to this Saturday — winner takes all ..

‘‘We’ve had a good week of preparation and are very excited by the opportunity that’s ahead of us. We know it’ll be a physical and intense match, but just as importantly, it’ll be a game where both teams will have moments of momentum.’’

The rest of the All Blacks team is unchanged, which means Saturday night will have a second significance about it, with All Blacks skipper Kieran Read earning his 100th test cap.

The All Blacks, having had their run of consecutive home victories (47) snapped last week in Wellington, now put two other special streaks on the line.

The New Zealanders have not lost at Eden Park since being rolled by France on July 3, 1994. Next outing up they were held to an 18-18 draw by South Africa, and since then have won 38 on the bounce at their Auckland fortress.

You also have to go all the way back to 1998 (South Africa and Australia) for the last occasion the All Blacks have lost back-to-back tests at home.

No pressure then on the rookie pair on their first test starts.