Ryan Crotty

Coach Scott Robertson has made five changes to the starting line-up from the side that lost to the Highlanders in Dunedin last Saturday night.

Both Whitelock and Crotty suffered head knocks in the Crusaders loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington two weeks ago and missed the Highlanders match.

Prop Tim Perry returns to start pushing Wyatt Crockett to the bench.

Flanker Billy Harmon will earn his second start replacing All Black Matt Todd, who took a knock to the ribs and will be rested.

Steam billowed from the mouth of Crusaders second five-eighth Crotty on Saturday night as he discussed the upcoming Super Rugby final against the Lions in Johannesburg next Sunday morning (NZT), a small cup of soup nestled in his hand as he tried to stay warm in the sub-zero temperatures at AMI Stadium.

Crotty, who's preparing to return from injury for the Crusaders' Super Rugby quarter final match against the Highlanders on Saturday, has also signed on with Canterbury for another year.

The 28-year-old has played 27 tests for the All Blacks, including the first test against the British and Irish Lions last month, and has played 119 Super Rugby games for the Crusaders.

Crotty admitted he considered overseas options but chose to stay in New Zealand.

Last year, with varying degrees of success, the All Blacks used four variations of Ryan Crotty, Malakai Fekitoa, George Moala and Lienert-Brown.

Crotty and Lienert-Brown emerged on top, with Fekitoa and Moala slipping out the picture for now.

SBW-ALB doesn't just roll off the tongue nicely. Their joint attacking threats could prove fruitful, even if their starting partnership is only short-lived.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen strongly indicated on Thursday Ryan Crotty should be fit for the first test against the Lions next week, despite carrying rib damage.

The 28-year-old Crotty, who was expected to be named in Steve Hansen's All Blacks squad for the three-test series on Thursday, suffered rib cartilage damage in the Crusaders' 25-22 win over the Highlanders on Saturday.

Initial assessments suggested he could be out for at least two weeks but the Crusaders' assistant coach Jason Ryan said they needed to check a scan before they could determine the extent of the injury.

"It will be a case-by-case thing," Ryan said. "Cartilages can be pretty niggly, especially when you are sneezing or coughing.

Crotty scored New Zealand's opening try of the Championship in the first of two victories over Australia, as Steve Hansen's men retained the Bledisloe Cup.

The Crusaders centre missed the second clash through injury, with Anton Lienert-Brown coming in to make his debut.

However, Crotty is now fully recovered from his head knock and will don the number 12 shirt once again in Hamilton on Saturday.

"In selecting this team, we felt there was the need for consistency," Hansen said.