Just when it looked as if the All Blacks’ Bledisloe buildup could hardly have gone better, coach Ian Foster trotted across the Sky Stadium turf and hopped the fence.
A gaggle of microphones and cameras greeted him, expectantly, and Foster delivered a decent shock.
“Beaudy is out, and Damian’s in at 15,” the coach deadpanned, just over 24 hours out from the first test against the Wallabies in Wellington.
For the elusive Waikato and Chiefs fullback, it will be his first test since November 2018 when he started the 66-3 win over Italy in Rome, with Jordie Barrett on the right wing as he will be on Sunday (4pm kickoff).
“He’s a quality 15 and ready to go, and it means less disruption to the rest of the squad. All the other positions stay the same,” said Foster.
The All Blacks lose a hugely influential figure, with Barrett a former world player of the year, but McKenzie poses an equal attacking threat for the Wallabies if given space.
With the second Bledisloe in Auckland next Sunday, Foster expected Beauden Barrett to be available, rating this one a minor injury.