The selectors have dropped Ioane to the bench after middling form in the test series against England, but have resisted the temptation to try rookie Billy Proctor against the Pumas in Wellington.
Instead, Anton Lienert-Brown will play his 74th test, earning a 31st start in the No13 jersey and starting alongside second five Jordie Barrett for just a second time.
Will Jordan returns from injury for his first test action since the Rugby World Cup final and subsequent shoulder surgery.
But it will not, as many expected, be in the No15 jersey. Beauden Barrett, who has made an excellent start to the season, stays at fullback, meaning the All Blacks have real impact off the bench in Jordan and Ioane.
Veteran halfback TJ Perenara returns from the lower leg injury he suffered in the Dunedin test and will be backed up by the rising Cortez Ratima.
Ethan Blackadder becomes the third All Black to wear No6 this year after Samipeni Finau’s struggles against England and a hamstring injury for Luke Jacobson.
There is a new locking combination, with both All Blacks captain Scott Barrett (finger) and Patrick Tuipulotu (calf) out with injury.
Sam Darry, who made his debut against Fiji in San Diego, earns a second test cap alongside the moderately experienced Tupou Vaa’i.
Star No8 Ardie Savea will captain the All Blacks for a ninth time.
Josh Lord has been whistled on to the bench to cover lock and potentially play his first test in nearly a year, while young sensation Wallace Sititi will earn his second cap if he takes the field.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said the squad was focused and ready ahead of the first Rugby Championship test. "It’s a special night for Ardie leading the team in his hometown and it’s great to have TJ and Will back in the mix.
"Once again there were some close selection calls, but we’ve picked a squad to win the key contests and perform on Saturday."
Meanwhile, Pablo Matera will captain Argentina after Julian Montoya was left out of the selection named by coach Felipe Contepomi last night.
Montoya injured his ribs last month in the 33-25 second test triumph over France and cedes his place to Ignacio Ruiz, with veteran former skipper Agustin Creevy named as replacement hooker on the bench.
Montoya did travel with the squad and could feature in their second clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland next Saturday.
Three players who were rested for last month's two-test series against France, plus the one-off clash with neighbours Uruguay, are back in the starting lineup, with Juan Martin Gonzalez at No8 and Juan Cruz Mallia and Lucio Cinti among the backs.
A further three returnees feature among the reserves in Creevy, Joel Sclavi and Tomas Lavanini.
Lock Efrain Elias, who is the only uncapped player in the squad that travelled to New Zealand, has been included among the reserves and is in line for his first test appearance after rapid promotion from Argentina's under-20 team. — Additional reporting Reuters
All Blacks v Argentina
The team
All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a, Damian McKenzie, TJ Perenara, Ardie Savea (captain), Dalton Papali’i, Ethan Blackadder, Sam Darry, Tupou Vaa’i, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan De Groot. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan.
Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia, Matias Moroni, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera (c), Pedro Rubiolo, Franco Molina, Eduardo Bello, Ignacio Ruiz, Thomas Gallo. Reserves: Agustin Creevy, Mayco Vivas, Joel Sclavi Efrain Elias, Tomas Lavanini, Joaquin Oviedo, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Tomas Albornoz.
