All Black pair Sam Cane, TJ Perenara set for final farewell against Italy

Former captain Sam Cane and veteran halfback TJ Perenara will get the chance to play for the All Blacks for a final time after being picked in the side to face Italy this weekend.

The test in Turin on Sunday morning (NZT) marks the end of the November tour for New Zealand, who beat Japan before edged England and Ireland in their opening three matches but lost 30-29 to France in Paris last weekend.

Cane and Perenara are moving to Japan to play club rugby.

Cane, who has 103 caps, will line up on the openside of the scrum in a switch to the loose trio with Samipeni Finau out with concussion. It means Ardie Savea moves back to No. 8 with Wallace Sititi now on the blindside.

Perenara, with 88 caps, is on the bench and will likely get a run out to mark the end of his All Blacks career.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Cane has been one of the team's best performers.

"I'm well aware that we're playing a guy that is moving on next year, but the value overrides any sentiment." Robertson said.

"His value in the team has been incredible over a long period of time. He's resilient. He's the epitome of an All Black loose forward, a great leader and he's left a hell of a mark for us in the jersey."

Robertson said Cane and Perenara have been the perfect teammates for the younger generation of All Blacks coming through.

"One thing I've learned is that test match footy has a lot to do with experience. You have to have experience in it. There's no replacement, you have to have been there and felt it so that you can teach others and that's what they've done.

"They've taken a koro role and they've taken a lot of time and care with mentoring and also keeping us accountable, on and off the field. So they've been just hugely valuable. And they know their way around Europe. They've done it plenty of times, so those are valuable lessons that are passed down. They have been been superb for us," Robertson said.

Meanwhile, prop Ethan de Groot has a chance to get back in the All Blacks coaches good books after being named to start.

The loosehead, who hasn't played since being dropped for breaching team protocol ahead of the test against England, replaces Tamaiti Williams, who suffered a neck injury against France last weekend.

Robertson said de Groot has been doing all he can to get back in the side.

"He's trained the house down. He's done double sessions and after the indiscretion he's put his hand up and owned it and now he has his chance."

-Reuters with additional reporting by RNZ