Hape scored a superb first-half try for New Zealand against Australia

New Zealand have made a number of changes for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against Great Britain in Christchurch.

Shontayne Hape and Steve Matai are both injured while Tony Puletua has been released on compassionate grounds and Dene Halatua and Adam Blair both axed.

Tame Tupou replaces Hape on the wing while stand-off Nigel Vagana moves to the centres in place of Matai.

Jerome Ropati comes off the bench to play at six while forwards Nathan Fien and Frank Pritchard are also called in.

Australian-born Fien, who caused a media storm when named in the Kiwi squad against the Kangaroos, will be making his Test debut at hooker in place of Halatua while Pritchard replaces Puletua in the second row.

Hull FC utility back Motu Tony and St Helens forward Jason Cayless are named on the bench as the defending champions look to record their first win in this year's tournament after successive defeats to Australia.

Kiwi coach Brian McClennan has rewarded Ropati for some consistent play at half-back during the season.

"Jerome had a fair shot at it with the Warriors and he's making a pretty good fist of it,'' he said.

"If we can get a similar sort of momentum to what we did last week and Jerome gets a bit of running room he'll be very effective."

Hape, who scored a first-half try against Australia last Saturday, has strained knee ligaments but could return for the next meeting with the Lions on 11 November in Wellington.