All Blacks scrumhalf Cam Roigard will play his first test of the year while Peter Lakai and Ruben Love should make their international debuts on Saturday after they were included in the matchday squad to take on Japan in Yokohama.

Roigard shone in the pool stage at the World Cup last year but has been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury early in the Super Rugby season in March.

Now fit, the 23-year-old will pair up with flyhalf Damian McKenzie to run the backline against the Brave Blossoms in a starting team featuring only four players that ran out to face Australia in the final match of the Rugby Championship.