An England team with an eye on the future will meet an All Blacks team haunted by its past in the first of two rugby union Tests at Eden Park on Saturday.

England's caretaker coach, Rob Andrew said the match, at the venue for the 2011 World Cup final, will give his new-look team experience of New Zealand conditions as its looks towards the next world tournament.

Prop Andy Sheridan is the only member of the tourists' starting lineup who played against France in last year's World Cup final in Paris, indicating the degree to which England has broken with the past.

New Zealand has not been able to put the 2007 tournament behind it to the same degree. The reappointment of coaches Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith led to a sense of disillusionment among some New Zealand rugby fans and the small crowd at last week's test against Ireland was seen as a reflection of that discontent.

New Zealand beat Ireland 21-11 in the first test of their 2008 season, but bitterly cold and wet conditions did not allow the All Blacks to put on a performance that would invigorate jaded supporters.

Henry hopes better conditions at Auckland will allow his team to put on a display which might bring fans back on side, though he believes England is a stronger team than New Zealanders realise.

"We know we've got a major challenge this week," he said.

"It's a very good England team and I don't know whether the New Zealand people understand that. Our scouts tell us they're particularly strong and looking at their team and from what we know we would agree with that.

"It's going to be a huge Test match this weekend at Eden Park and hopefully the weather will be a bit better than it was last Saturday."

Andrew, who is holding the fort for England until new coach Martin Johnson takes charge, is confident his team can match New Zealand. England's apparent strength lies in its forward pack, of which Sheridan is the hub, and Andrew believes his team will more than match the All Blacks at set pieces.

"They (New Zealand) pretty much dominated the set piece and the breakdown area (last week) and didn't really give Ireland much of a chance in that area to get any foothold in the game," he said.

"We'd be looking to get an edge there. If we don't match the All Blacks, as clearly Ireland didn't, then you are on the back foot so you will be in difficulty."

The New Zealanders have made only one change to the team that beat Ireland, naming Greg Somerville to oppose Sheridan after losing prop John Afoa to injury.

"We pretty much expected them to keep the same group of players to build on," Andrew said.

"I'm not sure they are all that inexperienced. They have lost players since the World Cup but we have lost more players in terms of the starting lineup so it's a bit of a myth about inexperience and a poor New Zealand side.

"There are lots of good quality players, they started the test series last week with a good victory in very difficult conditions and it will give them a good foundation to build on."

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Anthony Tuitavake, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, captain, Rodney So'oialo, Ali Williams, Brad Thorne, Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Neemia Tialata. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, John Schwalger, Anthony Boric, Sione Lauaki, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Leon MacDonald.

England: Mike Brown, Topsy Ojo, Mike Tindall, Olly Barkley, David Strettle, Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth, Luke Narraway, Tom Rees, James Haskell, Steve Borthwick, captain, Tom Palmer, Matt Stevens, Lee Mears, Andrew Sheridan. Reserves: David Paice, Tim Payne, Ben Kay, Joe Worsley, Danny Care, Jamie Noon, Mathew Tait.

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