Mike Tolkin will mastermind the Eagles' charge against the Kiwis © Getty Images

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US Eagles coach Mike Tolkin has called on his side to leave nothing on Soldier Field bar "blood and guts" when they face the All Blacks on Saturday.

The match is without doubt the biggest in US rugby's history. The Eagles, ranked 18th in the world, head into the game as massive underdogs but Tolkin has backed his side to front up against the All Blacks despite having just 12 professional players in their matchday 23. And despite the threat the All Blacks will inevitably pose, Tolkin wants his side to win the respect of the bumper 61,500 crowd.

"We've talked about it even before we got together, we want to get on to the field and get the respect of the opponents, our fans and ourselves," Tolkin said. "If we walk off the field leaving blood and guts, we will be satisfied with the performance we have put out there.

"To speak scores and results is a little bit foolhardy. We are very process driven and we look at small bits of the game and succeed in battles there, and that's all we do going into any game. The respect factor and where we stand in the view of the national audience, our opponent and ourselves is important."

The All Blacks have named a squad including nine Rugby World Cup-winners but a number of their more recognised players have been left either on the bench or in the stands. Despite the likes of Richie McCaw and Ben Smith sitting out Saturday's game, Tolkin is still expecting a formidable opponent.

"In the sense of going with the front-line guys, what they do and their habits are well documented. A lot of them have 80 to 100 caps and we see them more regularly and we have a lot of film on them. You don't see the other guys as much, but when you put on an All Blacks jersey, you have earned it and you are doing something special. So you know it's going to be a big challenge, regardless of who is in the jersey."

For Tolkin, he was able to pick those Eagles based in the Aviva Premiership due to a deal struck between USA Rugby and Premier Rugby Ltd. The match falls outside the IRB Test window and having the likes of Samu Manoa and Blaine Scully at his disposal came as a welcome boost.

"For our selection we have the strongest team that we can get and that happens with getting our overseas players here," Tolkin said. "Having them available is big. With a lot of overseas-based professionals it makes bringing them here sometimes a bit of a challenge so it's always good when we can get the squad together. It's a big benefit to our program."