All Black flyhalf Dan Carter has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Wales at the Millennium Stadium due to a leg injury.

Carter felt a twinge in his right leg during Thursday’s training session and has been withdrawn from the weekend’s match.

Aaron Cruden is promoted to the starting line-up where he links up with Aaron Smith, who has been cleared to start at scrumhalf after struggling to shake a niggling knee injury he sustained in the win over Italy last weekend.

Piri Weepu, who is set to become Test rugby’s most-capped replacement this weekend, will offer scrumhalf and flyhalf cover on the bench as Beauden Barritt is battling with a rib injury.  

Weepu, should he take to the field, will break former Springbok prop Ollie le Roux’s near-decade long record of 43 Tests as a substitute.
 
All Blacks - revised: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 8. Charlie Faumuina, 19 Brodie Retallick, 20 Victor Vito, 21 Piri Weepu, 22 TBC, 23 Ben Smith.

Date: Saturday, November 24
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 17.15 (17.15 GMT; 06.15 Sunday, November 25 NZ time)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garces, Greg Garner (England)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)