Auckland: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika can understand why people might question his decision to drop Quade Cooper and give Reece Hodge an inside-centre berth against the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday, but he believes the time is right to see if his men have got what it takes on the biggest stage.

Cheika has made four changes to the starting XV that lined up against Argentina at Twickenham, with Hodge starting at inside-centre for the first time, Brumbies speedster Henry Speight taking his spot on the wing and Nick Phipps assuming the halfback duties given Will Genia has returned to club commitments in France.

The biggest omission, however, is that of Cooper, who moves to the bench with Bernard Foley sliding into the coveted No.10 jersey after a five-match stint at inside-centre.

It is the first realignment of the backline since the Springboks Test on September 10 and there is an argument the consistency and familiarity built among the backs in recent weeks could be undone in what will be the Wallabies' most difficult assignment of 2016 – beating the All Black at Eden Park.

"Testing new ideas on the biggest stage – sometimes maybe some people might not think [now] is the right time but I think that's the time and that's the place where you see that if it really is something that can work in the future. We'll see how we go," Cheika said.

"Maybe it's not about if Bernard is a better option than Quade but more about the combination changing. I figured this was the right time."

The scene is set for Hodge, who having had a strong year for the Melbourne Rebels at No.12, will be charged with finding a way to increase Australia's measly tally of one try from 160 minutes of football against the All Blacks this year.

Cheika sees Hodge, 22, as a long-term option at inside-centre, but it is fair to say throwing him into the cauldron of Eden Park is a major gamble in his sixth Test and first year as a professional rugby player.

Just two backs from last year's disastrous 41-13 thumping in Auckland – Israel Folau and Speight – are here just 14 months later.

Speight has not played for the Wallabies since the Uruguay game at last year's World Cup but Cheika has backed him to keep a watchful eye on dangerous All Blacks winger Israel Dagg.

"He brings a certain set of skills too ... he's an out and out winger," Cheika said. "[The wing is] an area where New Zealand are very strong, so he's another piece to the puzzle."

Possibly the strangest element to the naming of Australia's team on Friday, a day later than usual, was the fact All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had all but predicted a change in the backline.

"They'll play [Bernard] Foley at first-five [five-eighth] and give Quade a rest for this one," said Hansen on Thursday. "[And they will play] someone like Hodge or either one of the Fijian boys in the midfield to try and get some go-forward which is probably something they lacked in the first two Tests."

Hansen's guess was spot on and it caught Cheika off guard when he asked about it.

The Wallabies boss then decided to have a light-hearted dig suggesting there was some kind of espionage similar to what the All Blacks allegedly experienced in Sydney this year.

"Really? The bug's obviously not working anymore so he must have had someone there watching us, I don't know," Cheika said. "He must have known somehow, I'm not quite sure. The bug's gone because we stayed in Double Bay, we did a bit of a broom around and we couldn't find any."

David Pocock will start on the bench for the first time in Wallaby colours since the Auckland game last year and will be joined by front-rowers James Hanson, Tom Robertson, Allan Alaalatoa and Rob Simmons who snared the spare second row bench spot.

"Good to see him [Pocock] back. He's worked his way into the contact side of things now over the week and we feel he's ready to make a contribution," Cheika said.

Kane Douglas, Scott Fardy and Tevita Kuridrani have all been left out of the match-day 23 in what is the first Test Kuridrani has missed this year.

Australia

1. Scott Sio (24 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (c) (111 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (72 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (5 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (6 Tests)
6. Dean Mumm (52 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (60 Tests)
8. Lopeti Timani (2 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (47 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (36 Tests)
11. Henry Speight (5 Tests)
12. Reece Hodge (5 Tests)
13. Samu Kerevi (7 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (9 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (47 Tests)

Reserves

16. James Hanson (11 Tests)
17. Tom Robertson (3 Tests)
18. Allan Alaalatoa (4 Tests)
19. Rob Simmons (65 Tests)
20. David Pocock (60 Tests)
21. Nick Frisby (2 Tests)
22. Quade Cooper (63 Tests)
23. Sefa Naivalu (1 Test)

New Zealand

1. Joe Moody
2. Dane Coles
3. Owen Franks
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Samuel Whitelock
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Matt Todd
8. Kieran Read
9. TJ Perenara
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Julian Savea
12. Ryan Crotty
13. Anton Lienert-Brown
14. Israel Dagg
15. Ben Smith

Reserves

16. Codie Taylor
17. Wyatt Crockett
18. Charlie Faumuina
19. Liam Squire
20. Ardie Savea
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow
22. Aaron Cruden
23. Malakai Fekitoa