Once he had appeased the Scottish public about his experimental All Blacks selection, coach Steve Hansen provided some insight into his World Cup thinking.

Hansen’s second-string team to face Scotland on Saturday has drawn criticism from several quarters in Edinburgh, most notably rugby fans on social media.

The inexperienced side was defended by the coach, who says next year’s World Cup is close enough to now play a significant role in his selection process.

Less than half of the starting team could be described as tournament certainties, leaving plenty to play for.

“We’ve got a lot of respect for Scotland rugby, but we’ve got our own agendas that we have to live by,” Hansen said.

“People are totally misreading the situation if they think we don’t respect them.

“Our expectation is that these guys will go out and play to the standard that the normal 23 put out in the big Test matches.”

Hansen is wary of the part fatigue can play at season’s end and clearly wants his best players rested ahead of the greater challenge of Wales in Cardiff next week.

Also, he regards the next two Tests as an ideal World Cup trial run, placing the Scottish Test on a par with their last pool game against Tonga in nearby Newcastle on October 9.

Their probable quarter-final will be in Cardiff eight days later.

“Scotland and Tonga are probably comparable when Tonga’s at their best,” Hansen said.

“There are a lot of things that are similar.”

Among several players with points to prove are No.8 Victor Vito, who Hansen called on to show more physicality, and prop Charlie Faumuina, who Hansen says should show the way for an inexperienced tight five.

The coach revealed that Saturday’s fullback Ben Smith is putting heat back on Israel Dagg for the first-choice No.15 jersey and would have started there against England last week if wing Cory Jane hadn’t been injured.

Surprise wing selection Colin Slade isn’t just filling a gap either, Hansen said.

The usual first five-eighth has the skill to play a number of backline positions and Hansen wants to see if that includes wing.

“If we go to the World Cup, we need to have players like that,” he said.

“There’s only 31 spots so you have to have someone with utility value.

“Sladey gives a genuine challenge to someone like Beauden Barrett, who is a utility player as well, for the World Cup.”

Hansen said out of proven first five-eighths Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Barrett and Slade only two, or possibly three, will make the World Cup cut.

“The more people we’ve got who can be utilities, the more options we’ve got when we come down to pick the team.”