Head coach Foster and captain Savea discuss New Zealand team announcement

Ian Foster, head coach

On getting the previously injured All Black quartet back available: 

"It's great. They've been on that list for a few too many weeks but that's what happens. We used last week really well I thought, in terms of getting their progression to play. 

"Really confident with Shannon (Frizell) and Jordie (Barrrett), we've been able to get them in the starting line up. With Tyrel (Lomax) there is a good chance for him to get some time under his belt off the bench. We all know how much we rate him. 

'With Sam (Cane), he really needed to tick a few boxes at the first two training sessions this week, which is why we gave him time to do that, by starting him off the bench."

On what Shannon Frizell in particular brings to the side:

"I won't say we what we have been missing with his absence but I will talk about Shannon. Clearly, he's been challenged on the role of six this year. He's been there a few years and we've challenged him through the Rugby Championship and really been delighted. He's brought, in many ways, a simplicity to his game. He's focusing on the quality of his ball carry, the quality of his tackle and his connections with the likes of Ardie (Savea) and Sam (Cane) and now Dalton (Papali'i) this week. He's improved his work-rate and he's improved his quality in those two areas, and that's all we want out of him for Friday."

On the Italians saying they are expecting the All Blacks to try and 'bully them': 

"That's rugby, everyone is trying to do that. They'll be trying to do that to us. It's a physical game. It's not a lack of respect from anyone. Both teams, there's a lot at stake. This was always going to be a game we knew we had to get really excited about and play well in. 

"The good thing is that we are playing a team that is confident, so there is no surprises. They've earned that. The last two years, we've seen a lot of growth in their game. I think I made the point after the Six Nations, I thought they were one of the highlights of the Six Nations, the way they played and the competitiveness of all their games." 

On his choice of second-rows for this match:

"It's the order we have for this game. I won't commit to saying it's the absolute pecking order. We just feel that right now, it's the right one for this game.

"We've got four locks that we are pretty happy with their form. We've got Brodie (Retallick) who is coming back from injury, he's missed a bit of rugby. He played a little bit in that France game and Namibia he got 55 minutes, so we really feel he needs more time."

On what veteran Dane Coles brings to the match-day 23: 

"Played well, trained well. Been really impressed with Colesy, he's leading really well on the training park. When he's been playing, he's been playing well. We just believe that composure later on in the game will be good for us. A lot is made of Colesy and his fiery attitude and all of that, but he brings a lot of composure to this group. He's passionate and he talks well, and he's been doing that."

"We're expecting a lot of emotion out there and to have the likes of Dane and the two Sams (Whitelock and Cane) on the bench to come on and bring a slightly level-headed approach in that last part is going to be important to us." 

On Sam Whitelock being set to surpass Richie McCaw as the most capped All Black if he comes off the bench:

"I don't think it takes the romance out of it (that Whitelock is on the bench). This is a credit to Sam, every game he is achieving something new at the moment. He equalled a record last week, he's going to beat it this week. He's got 150 (caps) coming up and then he's got the most capped All Black in World Cups. Every day is a bit of a statement of something he's achieving. 

"We want to honour that achievement because he's earned that but I feel like as a team, we talked a lot about it last week, before the Namibia game, we respect that but we will do all our celebration of that achievement after this game.

"Right now what the team needs to achieve is bigger than the individual."

On the fact that Italy have never beaten the All Blacks not being relevant: 

"History means nothing. History is yesterday's newspaper isn't it, not tomorrow's."

Ardie Savea, captain and flanker

On knowing they need to front up physically: 

"If you are not physical it's going to be a long day. Both teams are going to try and bring their best on Friday night, it's going to be good. 

"Like Foz (head coach Foster) said, they've played some awesome footy the last couple of games, so it's a great challenge for us."

On knowing the breakdown is a key area of strength for Italy: 

"We just have to look after the ball. We've seen over the last couple of games that the ball can get quite slippy in contact. We've got to look after our break down and I don't think it's just the loose trio that's got over the ball, it's their whole team. 

"That's a threat we have identified and we need to nullify that."

On the lift the squad has got from Sam Cane returning to the match-day squad:

"It's massive. The last couple of weeks he's been on the sidelines of training and you do realise how much of a presence he has when he is running alongside you."

On the need for the forwards to lay down a marker on Friday:

"100 per cent. Every game we are always trying to lay a marker. We lay the foundations and we allow our backs to do what they do."

On being inspired by the Ireland versus South Africa game: 

"Yeah. It was kind of one of the first games I've watched other teams play. It was actually nice to enjoy it and see that. We all know that's the level and hopefully we can match that."