Team News:  All Blacks captain Richie McCaw has been ruled out of Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with Australia at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney and will be replaced by Daniel Braid.

Braid returns to the All Blacks camp  after five years in the international wilderness. The 27-year-old was confirmed at openside flanker for the highly anticipated Bledisloe Cup clash when McCaw failed to recover sufficiently from his ankle injury.

McCaw returned to training on Monday, ahead of schedule, after a month-long lay-off but had been rated only a 50-50 chance of playing by coach Graham Henry when he announced his team on Tuesday with McCaw bracketed alongside Braid.

Twenty-four hours later, with McCaw conceding defeat in his battle to be fit, Braid got the news he would be pulling on the black jersey for the first time since the 2003 World Cup.

"I'm pretty excited to be honest," said Braid.

"I've been preparing all week like I'm going to be playing with the knowledge that Richie could be there but now I've got the nod I'm really excited."

Braid admitted that at the start of the week he did not hold out much hope of adding to his international caps against Wales, Canada and Tonga, the last of which came during the 2003 World Cup.

"But how he (McCaw) recovered after training - I could see he was getting sore - and I started thinking maybe I might get the nod," Braid added.

In the Australia camp rugby league convert Ryan Cross will replace the injured Stirling Mortlock.
   
Mortlock suffered concussion in last Saturday's 16-9 win over South Africa in Perth and was forced to withdraw from the side for the match against the All Blacks, which also doubles as the first of four Bledisloe Cup games.
   
Flanker George Smith will captain the Wallabies in Mortlock's absence.
   
Cross, 28, has won three caps as a replacement since making the squad for the first test against France in June, but Saturday's match at Sydney's Olympic stadium will be his first appearance in the starting side.
   
Cross, who played rugby union at schoolboy level, joined the Perth-based Western Force Super 14 team two years ago.
   
He made an immediate impression when he scored two tries against France in Brisbane after coming on in the second half.
   
Cross's elevation to the starting side means a call-up to the bench for another former rugby league player, Timana Tahu.
   
Tahu, 27, switched to union with the New South Waratahs at the start of the year after a successful career during which he played for Parramatta, New South Wales and Australia.
   
In the only other change to the 22-man squad, lock Dan Vickerman returns to the side after recovering from ankle surgery, replacing Queensland's Hugh McMeniman on the bench.

Before his injury, Vickerman was Australia's first choice lock, but Australian coach Robbie Deans decided to retain Nathan Sharpe and James Horwill in the second row after their strong performance against the Springboks in Perth.
   
"Sharpie and James Horwill last week were very good, so we've got combinations going there," Deans said.
   
"Dan will get his opportunity off the bench - he's done very well to be in this situation. He's ahead of the anticipated return time.
   
"It's great to have that depth. Hugh has certainly done nothing wrong."
   
Eight members of the squad, Cross, Tahu, centre Berrick Barnes, winger Peter Hynes, scrumhalf Luke Burgess, lock James Horwill, prop Benn Robinson and replacement hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau will be playing the All Blacks for the first time.
   
Teams:

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Anthony Tuitavake, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Jerome Kaino, Daniel Braid, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock
   
Replacements: Keven Mealamu, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Sione Lauaki, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Conrad Smith

Australia: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Berrick Barnes, Lote Tuqiri, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson
   
Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Dan Vickerman, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Timana Tahu, Drew Mitchell