Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has been ruled out of Saturday night’s Bledisloe Cup clash in Auckland and will be replaced on the reserves bench by Saia Faingaa.
Polota-Nau had already pulled out of the starting side on Thursday after suffering from a corked buttock sustained at an earlier training session.
The decision was made to omit the NSW hooker after Friday’s captain’s run at Eden Park.
Stephen Moore will start in the No.2 jersey against the All Blacks in a game where he will equal Jeremy Paul’s record for most Test caps by a Wallaby hooker.
Coach Robbie Deans finalised his reserves bench following Friday’s light work-out and has elected to go with a 4-3 split.
Faingaa will be joined on the bench by brother Anthony, who started at inside centre in last week’s opening Rugby Championship loss to New Zealand.
Kurtley Beale and Nick Phipps will be the other backline covers, with James Slipper and Radike Samo the other impact forwards. Rob Simmons has been left out of the side.