The safest selections in the squad were Cam Roigard at halfback, picked by 97.5% of entrants, Jordie Barrett on 96.2%, Codie Taylor on 94%, Quinn Tupaea on 90.2%, Fletcher Newell on 88%, and Ethan de Groot on 85.7%.

The bench proved considerably tougher, with entrants averaging just 2.2 correct picks out of eight.

The selectors’ decision to opt for a 6-2 split caught almost everyone out. Christian Lio-Willie wearing the No 19 jersey was picked by just 2.1% of entrants in that exact slot, with only 17.5% naming him anywhere in their 23. Most readers expected lock Josh Lord or outside back Leicester Fineanganofo among the substitutes.

Halfback on the bench also tripped up the crowd. Cortez Ratima at No 21 was picked by only 12.9% of entrants, while 45% expected Kyle Preston to wear the jersey.

Preston was the biggest absentee of the round, having featured in 71.7% of all submissions.

The difficulty of the reserves meant the top nine entrants all relied on a perfect starting XV, dropping their only points across the bench.

The All Blacks face Scotland in round four of the Nations Championship at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday night (Sunday morning NZT).