All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said he is not using his abrupt sacking as Wallabies coach as motivational fuel, as counterpart Les Kiss confirmed he was keeping aerial weapon Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing to help conjure a Bledisloe boilover.

The rival coaches named their sides for the opening clash at Eden Park, and while Rennie was left to deal with more injuries to key players – pivot Richie Mo’unga has been ruled out – Kiss had much better fortune with star Len Ikitau overcoming an ankle injury to line up at centre on Saturday.

As revealed on Tuesday, Ikitau was named at No.12, replacing suspended hitman Hunter Paisami, and Reds centre Isaac Henry won a recall at outside centre. The latter’s selection means Suaalii will again be deployed on the wing to best use his leaping ability to contest kicks.

Rennie offered the Wallabies a potential target, too, by naming veteran playmaker Beauden Barrett at fullback.

“That was fairly simple decision in the end,” Kiss said of Henry’s call-up. “We just want to persist with that continuity of that back three and see how that can go for another week. We know that aerial game is pretty important, and both Max and Joseph did very well last week. I’ve no doubt it’s going to be important again, so fingers crossed that works.”

In an otherwise settled side, the Wallabies recalled Massimo De Lutiis and Nick Champion de Crespigny to the bench, replacing Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper, who have returned to their European club sides. Declan Meredith was also recalled as a reserve playmaker.

The Wallabies haven’t won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002, but on the back of a six-game unbeaten streak, and with New Zealand having lost their past three Tests against South Africa, Australia are being talked up by Kiwi media as having a prime opportunity to break the drought.

The backstory to this Bledisloe Cup series is unprecedented. Rennie will become the first man to serve as head coach for Australia and New Zealand. He coached the Wallabies for 34 Tests between 2020 and 2022, and is the last man to lead Australia to a win over the Kiwis, in 2020.

Rennie was sacked by Rugby Australia at the end of 2022 to make way for Eddie Jones, but has barely spoken publicly about the contentious exit since. Asked on Thursday about his treatment by RA and if he is motivated to beat the Wallabies based on his exit, Rennie continued to play a straight bat.

“It’s not about me,” he said. “I’ve got no regrets. I got to work with some really good people, people I have a lot of time for. It is a part of a game that we’re involved in.

“I enjoyed my time in Japan. I’ve loved coming back here and working with these guys. We’ve got great people, players and staff, and I’m enjoying that. So we’re highly motivated. But it’s not about me.”

Rennie was quick to praise the Wallabies, however, saying he knows many of the players well.

“We’re well aware of the strength of that team. They’ll come here confident,” he said. “They’ve had a good run recently. And as you saw against that [South] African side, they’re pretty dominant for 70 minutes.

“And you’ve got some guys in there who are the best in the world, if not close to that. So, yeah, a lot more dangerous. But that’s good for us, too. We know we’re going to have to be at our best.”

The Wallabies haven’t won the Bledisloe Cup in 24 years, and it is also 40 years since Australia beat the Kiwis at Eden Park.

Asked if there was more pressure to defend the Bledisloe Cup than try to win it, Rennie said: “Probably, yeah.

“We talk about it. No one wants to be part of the first team for a long time to lose at Eden Park or lose the Bledisloe,” he said.

“All sides who come here want to be seen to break the (Eden Park) record, so they’ll be highly motivated. We’re well aware of what’s coming.”

All Blacks players later revealed an “emotional” assistant coach Tana Umaga had spoken to the squad about the pain of being part of an All Black side that was without the Bledisloe Cup between 1998 and 2002.

Returning the gushing compliments of Rennie and reclaiming the underdog status, Kiss said the All Blacks team was scarily good, even after a spate of injuries that has also sidelined stars like Ardie Savea and Ruben Love.

“This is a (Wallabies) team that can step forward and see what see how close we can take it. When I saw (the All Blacks team) come out, they’ve had a few injuries, but strewth, when you look at that team, it makes it tough,” Kiss said.

”They’ve named a couple of centurions, and they’ve got a lot of caps in their team, it’s impressive. We’re going to have to be good to go out there and put something on that can can compete with that.”