Scotland captain Mike Blair believes that playing against a much-changed New Zealand team could make his side`s chances of registering a first win over the All Blacks harder, not easier.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has made 12 changes to the side which edged past Australia in last weekend`s Bledisloe Cup clash in Hong Kong for Saturday`s match here at Murrayfield, which marks the start of the All Blacks` Grand Slam tour of the British Isles.

However, scrum-half Blair said: `I think it is a very dangerous side they have chosen.

`They have got a lot to prove to the coaches and they`ll be absolutely desperate to show what they can do in an All Blacks shirt, so this is arguably a more dangerous side to play against.

`Liam Messam (the No 8) will definitely be a guy to watch. We`ve seen a bit of him playing in the Sevens, for the New Zealand Maori and in the Churchill Cup a couple of years ago.

`He`s obviously a really talented player so he has ability to do some damage if we let him.`

Blair insisted he was not downcast by Scotland`s poor record against the All Blacks.

`This is a chance to make history,` he added. `You`re never going to get that many chances against them and in the past we`ve maybe not been that good at taking those opportunities which have come our way.

`We have to make sure that we don`t make the same mistake on Saturday.

`That means that when you have kicks at goal you take them and you put pressure on them so that they make mistakes.

`They are an inexperienced side, very talented but inexperienced, and we feel there are going to be opportunities in this game.

`Obviously when you go into these sorts of games you are going to do analysis on the opposition, but with it being our first game of the autumn series and their second game it is going to be very important how your own game goes.

`If you get your own structures right and your own decision making right then you will be satisfied with how things go.`

In 26 meetings between the two countries dating back to 1905, New Zealand have won 24.

Scotland`s best results came in the Murrayfield draws of 1964, the last pointless match in Test history, and 1983 when the match ended level at 25-25.

Their most recent encounter, at Murrayfield during the 2007 World Cup, saw the All Blacks beat a largely second-string Scotland 40-0.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden defended his choice on the grounds he needed his best side fit for the pool qualification decider with Italy, a match his team won 18-16 in St Etienne.

Many within the New Zealand camp were far from impressed although Henry said his selection for Saturday`s match was down to spreading the workload for an All Blacks side playing Test matches on five successive weekends.

The last Scotland-New Zealand fixture was also marred by a bizarre kit row.

Despite the fact both sides had played each other for over a hundred years with the hosts usually wearing white while the other played in their traditional blue (Scotland) or black (New Zealand), there was a clash caused by the grey in both Scotland`s new home strip and the All Blacks` change shirts.