Revealed All Blacks lineup

The World Cup may be 12 months away, but Steve Hansen has already begun planning for the sudden-death phase of the tournament.

Following the 36-34 shock defeat to the Springboks in Wellington on September 15, All Blacks coach Hansen has made six personnel changes for the test against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Sunday morning.

This, he says, is all part of the masterplan to defend the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan.

Hansen has rested tighthead prop Owen Franks, which means Ofa Tuungafasi will start and Chiefs bookend Angus Ta’avao, who earlier this year was without a Super Rugby contract, will earn his first test cap off the bench.

Shannon Frizell gets a gallop at blindside flanker because Liam Squire has a hand injury, and with captain Kieran Read left at home Luke Whitelock is at No 8. Lock Sam Whitelock takes over as captain in the absence of Read.

Halfback TJ Perenara starts his 50th test at halfback, pushing Aaron Smith into the reserves, Sonny Bill Williams will make his second test appearance of the year at second five-eighth and a reshuffle in the back three results in Jordie Barrett getting bumped out of the matchday 23. Ben Smith shifts to fullback, allowing Waisake Naholo to return to the right wing.

The availability of Williams, who injured a shoulder against France in Dunedin on June 23 and ahead of his comeback in Wellington was laid low with a bout of tonsillitis, means there is no room for Goodhue. Anton Lienert-Brown has been preferred on the bench.

Damian McKenzie has returned to New Zealand for a family bereavement, and will join the squad in South Africa.

Maybe Hansen could have been more ruthless with his selections after that disappointing effort against the Boks; instead he has cut his cloth where necessary, and then advanced to the front foot to say this is no time to be experimenting.

‘‘From a selection point of view, we’ve always seen these next two test matches as a great opportunity to replicate the knockout stages of the Rugby World Cup, where we’ll have to beat quality teams back-to-back if we are to keep advancing in the tournament,’’ Hansen said.

‘‘One of the keys to achieving this will be a consistency of selection, and that’s why we haven’t made too many changes this week.’’

The global tournament in Japan is still a year away, but clearly Hansen wants to get a gauge on how his players react when told they must prepare, mentally and physically, as if they are playing one of the most important games of their lives.