Coach Graham Henry kicked for touch suggestions the All Blacks' season-ending rugby tour is developmental by naming provincial veterans Scott Waldrom and Ross Filipo in the most contentious positions today.

Openside flanker Waldrom is the biggest surprise of the 35-man squad named today, one of seven uncapped players who leave tomorrow for a demanding six-game tour to Hong Kong, Great Britain and Ireland.

It is a relatively surprise-free selection, with Henry having long ago settled on the nucleus of his victorious Tri-Nations group while possible additions were signposted by the naming of a training squad earlier this week.

However, Taranaki flyer Waldrom, 28, and three-test lock Filipo, 29, only had their selections confirmed in recent days after winning one-on-one duels for tour spots with Tanerau Latimer and Jeremy Thrush respectively.

Henry said Filipo headed off the challenge of young Wellington teammate Thrush with a superior display in last night's 6-7 Air NZ Cup final loss to Canterbury here.

The veteran coach put each player under his personal microscope for half an hour and decided to lump for Filipo, who had celebrated the arrival of his first child earlier this week.

"It won't please him but if we were picking the side about six weeks ago, Jeremy Thrush would have probably got in," Henry told NZPA.

"Ross Filipo has shown outstanding form in the finals and he's come through strongly. Finals football is more like test football."

Likewise, Waldrom had shown better form than Bay of Plenty's Latimer during a trial camp this week and the late weeks of the Air NZ Cup.

"One guy came through very strongly in the last month (Waldrom) and the other guy faded away a bit," Henry said.

Waldrom will be a backup for captain Richie McCaw and could surprise international opponents with his pace.

"He's always shown a lot of x-factor. He has good skill with his hands, he can get to places most guys can't get to because he's so quick," Henry said.

"He's gives us some real presence at the breakdown, he turns over a lot of ball there.

"It will be interesting to see how he fits into this group. He's 28, so he's not a baby."

The other new caps are exciting Wellington outside backs Cory Jane and Hosea Gear, two in-form loose forwards in Cantabrian Kieran Read and Waikato's Liam Messam and two rising props -- Jamie Mackintosh of Southland and Ben Franks of Tasman.

It was a special selection for Read who led Canterbury to victory last night and celebrated his 23rd birthday today.

However, only three of the Canterbury players involved in the final have made the tour, with second five-eighth Tim Bateman and prop Wyatt Crockett nominated by the selectors as among the unluckiest to miss out.

Two regulars in this year's squad have been axed, with Waikato No 8 Sione Lauaki and North Harbour winger Rudi Wulf shown areas of their game to work on.

Forwards coach Steve Hansen said 17-test veteran Lauaki had paid the price for inconsistent form.

"At some stage you have to make a decision that it's time to go," Hansen said.

"He's got to go away and decide if he really wants to be in this team."

Backs coach Wayne Smith said Wulf was a fine allrounder but needed to be more explosive.

Two players weren't considered because of injury -- Canterbury fullback Leon MacDonald and Waikato halfback Brendon Leonard -- while winger Joe Rokocoko and lock Jason Eaton conversely return from long periods sidelined by injury.

The longest wait for a recall belongs to Canterbury hooker Corey Flynn, who played the last of his three tests four years ago.

Henry talked up the challenge of the tour which begins with an historic test against Australia this Saturday in Hong Kong, followed by an attempt to match their 2005 Grand Slam feat with tests against Scotland (November 8), Ireland (Nov 15), Wales (Nov 22) and England (Nov 29). There is also a midweek match against Munster on November 18.

"It's the biggest challenge that All Blacks rugby has had in the professional era as far as end of year tours are concerned -- five tests on five consecutive Saturdays," Henry said.

"We think it's a strong team. There's a lot of experience in there, the guys have played a huge number of test matches. We can build the inexperience around that and they'll benefit from it.

"We're confident they will play well. We know it's a huge undertaking, there are some very strong sides we'll play against."