The Wallabies are not exactly quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing the All Blacks' two-headed five-eighths monster at Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday night, with Matt Giteau suggesting the ploy could "backfire" on the New Zealanders.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry has made two bold selection moves in his backline for the "dead" Bledisloe encounter that kicks off the northern tours for both sides in this historic Asian setting.

The first, and most important, is the call to play both Stephen Donald and Dan Carter in a one-two pivot combination at first and second five-eighths. The Waikato playmaker will make his first test start as a No 10 and Carter will move out to No 12 for the first time since 2004 when he was still making his way in the All Blacks.

Secondly, Henry has also gambled on the outstanding form of Wellington wing Hosea Gear translating into the test arena, opting for the powerful try-scorer ahead of stand-in Richard Kahui who filled the role so admirably during the Tri Nations.

The Donald-Carter gambit is an especially bold move by Henry, introducing a risk element to the inside backs selection that has not been there hitherto in 2008.

Wellington's Ma'a Nonu has started every test this year at No 12, with Carter, rated the world's best first five-eighths, an ever-present inside him. Together they formed a largely effective combination, with Nonu's kicking fallibilities generally unexposed.

But with five consecutive tests on this tour, Henry has taken the approach that some experimentation will be needed with his personnel, and apparently there is no time like the present to put the Donald-Carter combination under the microscope again.

These two dual-tens played the last half-hour of the All Blacks' Bledisloe and Tri Nations clincher in Brisbane, guiding them back from a 7-17 deficit with some aplomb. Clearly, the coaches want to see them again, from the outset of a test, and they figure why not now?

Why not, indeed.

Another factor in Henry's temptation to go away from the power game of Nonu, and with the more subtle one of the two five-eighths, is the likelihood that they'll face a similar operation opposite them on Saturday night.

In Brisbane the Wallabies went with Stirling Mortlock and Ryan Cross in a power combo, largely because Berrick Barnes was unavailable.

But with Barnes fit again, the All Blacks are figuring that when Robbie Deans names his lineup Thursday he'll return to the dual left-right kicking options of Matt Giteau and Barnes at 10 and 12.

Also there's a real tactical edge in having the two kicking options, and if there's one thing the new ELVs have shown this year it's the need for a strong territory game and a well-organised chase to follow,

"We thought it was important to try and get two navigators on the field because of their lack of rugby over the last five or six weeks," Henry said after unveiling his lineup. "Two playmakers, two navigators. We thought early in the game that would be helpful."

A game of chess really, and one the Wallabies reckon they might just be a move ahead of their rivals in.

Both Deans and star playmaker Giteau expressed a general lack of surprise over Henry's decision to pair Donald and Carter in the five-eighths.

They also hinted that they believe it could be an area that might favour the Wallabies on Saturday night.

"I had an inkling they were going to tamper with that area," Deans told reporters in Hong Kong. "Interesting that they've opted to move Dan because they had other ways and means of doing it obviously.

"But I guess they probably looked at the last 20 in Brisbane. It worked well."

Giteau felt the All Blacks' selection signposted the way they intended to play this match. That, he figured, must give the Wallabies a leg up.

"It shows the expansive game that they want to play and they're also more of a threat now with the two genuine ball-players in Carter and Donald," he told reporters in Hong Kong.

"It could work well for them. It could backfire ... the way they play might change a few things potentially for us but, in attack, we've had our game plan set for a little while now.

"Before any team was picked, there's areas that we feel we could exploit. There's also areas of strength that they have that we need to shut down as well.

"But, definitely, we're as confident with that team or any team. We feel with any side we play against that there's areas that we can exploit."