Hadden believes the pace of the southern hemisphere game can be difficult to live with at times, but says his side can head into the match with high confidence.

“Although we lost the game against the number one ranked side in the world, it was plain for all to see that there were some areas where we were very competitive. Now we’re going up against the world champions and we believe we have got every chance.”

However, Blair believes that with better finishing the scoreline might have been much closer after Scotland wasted a number of good openings.

“We’re really disappointed and frustrated. We had chances and we didn’t take them. We created a few opportunities and put pressure on their 22. But they have some devastating finishers and were incredibly clinical when they got the opportunities.”

The Scotland captain is all to aware that they have never beaten the All Blacks, but believes they have every chance of causing an upset this time around.

“If we get our set-pieces right and our breakdown right then it it will go a long way to making it competitive. It’s a big game for us first up. For a long time now New Zealand have been up there with the best in the world and we have to respect that.”

Despite some of the changes being enforced, it was expected Hadden would name more of the team that defeated Argentina in Scotland’s last outing.

However, Jason White, Simon Taylor, Nathan Hines, Jim Hamilton, Sean Lamont, Nick de Luca and Thom Evans all return to the side.

Chris Cusiter, Rory Lawson and Graeme Morrison have all picked up injuries and are expected to miss out on the series of games against New Zealand, Canada and world champions South Africa.

The experienced Cusiter has a fractured thumb, Lawson has a serious rib injury and Morrison has damaged ligaments in his knee.

Amongst the crowd there are 7 new faces, all hoping to win their first cap for their country. Max Evans, Moray Low, Dan Turner and Mark McMillan from Glasgow Warriors all get their chance to show what they can do, as do Edinburgh’s Geoff Cross and Calum McRae. Newcastle fly-half Stephen Jones completes the line-up of players hoping to be given their debut.

The complete 50 man Scotland squad reads:

Backs – Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Ben Cairns (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Perpignan), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Rob Dewey (Ulster), Max Evans (Glasgow), Thom Evans (Glasgow), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Andrew Henderson (Glasgow), Stephen Jones (Newcastle), Rory Lamont (Sale), Sean Lamont (Northampton), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Calum MacRae (Edinburgh), Mark McMillan (Glasgow), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow), Dan Parks (Glasgow), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), Gordon Ross (Saracens), Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh), Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Simon Webster (Edinburgh).

Forwards – John Barclay (Glasgow), Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow), Kelly Brown (Glasgow), Dave Callam (Edinburgh), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Dougie Hall (Glasgow), Craig Hamilton (Edinburgh), Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh), Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Allister Hogg (Edinburgh), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow), Gavin Kerr (Edinburgh), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow), Scott MacLeod (Scarlets), Euan Murray (Northampton), Scott Murray (Montauban), Matt Mustchin (Edinburgh), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Simon Taylor (Stade Francais), Fergus Thomson (Glasgow), Dan Turner (Glasgow), Jason White (Sale).