Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster is hopeful Richie Mo'unga and Michael Hooper will be available for the AUNZ Invitational XV game against the British and Irish Lions on July 12.
Foster was confirmed as part of the coaching staff for the 'fourth Test' in Adelaide, currently at Japanese club Toyota Verblitz.
Tickets for the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour are available here.
The 59-year-old has 'unfinished business' with the Lions, coaching the Kiwis to a 1-all series draw in 2017 after a controversial third-Test draw.
"I basically said yes straight away. It's a great opportunity," Foster told the media.
"Lions series are iconic and special. This is a new innovation from Rugby Australia to bring this team in and to get a chance to be involved in it was awesome.
"...One-all in a draw didn't leave any of us very satisfied, and it was a tough and tight series that wasn't as open Rugby as I would've liked, so there is unfinished business."
Foster hasn't had formal conversations with players about their involvement, revealing that the team's likely to consist of fringe Wallabies players and Kiwis based in Japan.
This brings into the contention the likes of Mo'unga and Aaron Smith, with the former Crusader unavailable for the All Blacks under the current selection policy.
"I hope it's a 60-40 to the Aussies because it'll make my life a little bit easier that week, I think," he joked.
"This is an Australian idea and a Rugby Australian tournament. So it's really whatever suits the development of the younger players or the established players on the edge of the Wallabies squad.
"...It's making sure that it's experienced enough and strong enough to be really competitive. It's not a festival game; it's a chance to put on a new jersey that no one's worn before and to play in a very special series; there's no such thing as a dud game.
".When you look at the New Zealand-based players in Japan, you've got the likes of Aaron Smith, Richie Mo'unga; those types of guys would be really, really good targets for this sort of game, and hopefully we can work through things like that."
Despite that push, Foster was keen to bring in Hooper involved in some capacity for the match.
The pair are currently at Toyota Verblitz, with Hooper joining Foster's team on an injury replacement deal for the rest of the Japanese season.
"There's a young kid in Nagoya called Michael Hooper who's going pretty good at the moment. I wouldn't mind seeing him back having a bit of a sniff," Foster pondered.
"I haven't told him that yet either, by the way. This will be a surprise to him.
"..You've got a lot of guys with a bit of speed on the wings, smaller rugby players but really elusive, really skillful. You'll know the names, whether they're in the Wallabies or whether they've got a chance in this team (is another question).
"I think you've got some really fast, athletic, loose forwards coming through like (Charlie) Cale at the Brumbies. Whether they're in the Wallabies or whatever, we'll wait and see."
