Dave Rennie has vowed that the All Blacks will go all guns blazing when they take on Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Rennie has named his strongest possible team for what promises to be a blockbuster clash with Gregor Townsend’s men in the Nations Championship.

The Barrett brothers — Beauden, Jordie and Scott — are all included in the starting XV and bring a wealth of experience with over 320 caps between them.

Damian McKenzie, who scored a brilliant try to deny Scotland at the death when the teams met in Edinburgh last year, also starts at fly-half, with Rieko Ioane on the bench.

Other headline names in the team include Will Jordan, the winger who has scored 56 tries in 63 Test matches, and Codie Taylor, who captains the side at hooker on his 115th cap.

Former Glasgow Warriors head coach Rennie has gone fully loaded and, as was the case 12 months ago when the All Blacks won 25-17, he expects it could be another thriller. But he has challenged his players to get on the front foot and take the sting out of a sold-out home crowd at Murrayfield.

‘Scotland are a quality side, they are very well-coached and have built a lot of depth over recent years,’ said the All Blacks head coach. ‘They play a very similar brand of rugby to us and we know we’ll need to be at our best this weekend for sure.

‘I obviously know a fair bit about a few of their coaches and players, and they’ve been excellent at Murrayfield. The last four games between the All Blacks and Scotland have all been really tight. Last year the boys were able to pull it out of the fire.

‘We are well aware of the quality of the side and the performance required to beat Scotland on the weekend.

‘Murrayfield is an iconic place to play rugby, so it will be a special occasion to kick off our northern tour. We are playing a Scottish side that is very confident at home, will have a lot of belief, but we have got to back our game.

‘Our job is to put them under as much pressure as possible and take the crowd out of the game.’

Rennie took charge of New Zealand earlier this year and has since gone on to win ten of his 13 matches thus far, with the only defeats coming against world champions South Africa.

The All Blacks have looked revitalised over recent months and have been playing a much more expansive and free-flowing brand of rugby once again.

Central to that has been Mike Blair, the former Scotland captain and Edinburgh head coach who is now one of Rennie’s trusted lieutenants as the attack coach.

‘Mike is a top man, there’s a reason I brought him to New Zealand,’ said Rennie. ‘He’s got a great understanding of the game.

‘His ability to micro-skill things from a decision-making perspective and he’s really innovative around how he delivers that, whether its at a meeting or on the grass.

‘He’s been excellent and made a big impression on the boys as well. You’re seeing evidence of that on the field.’

The All Blacks have been rocked this week after the sudden passing of their security chief Logan Cadwallader at their team hotel in Edinburgh last weekend.

They will wear their changed kit on Saturday with white jerseys, along with a poppy and a black armband as a mark of respect.

‘Yeah, it’s been a really tough week for our group following the passing of Logan,’ added Rennie. ‘He was one of us and he will be very much in our thoughts as we take the field on Saturday.

‘The boys have leaned on each other and prepared well, so we’re ready to go — we know that is what Logan would want and expect.’

New Zealand team to face Scotland....

B Barrett; W Jordan, Q Tupaea, J Barrett, J Moorby; D McKenzie, C Roigard; E de Groot, C Taylor (C), F Newell; S Barrett, F Holland, T Vaa’i, P Lakai, W Sititi. Subs: A Aumua, G Bower, P Tosi, C Lio-Willie, A Segner, C Ratima, T Tavatavanawai, R Ioane.