New Zealand v Wales: Whitelock and Dagg back for All Blacks
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New Zealand v Wales (second Test) |
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Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington Date: Saturday, 18 June 2016 Kick-off: 08:35 BST |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport app, Connected TV, and live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. |
New Zealand have recalled World Cup-winning lock Sam Whitelock for the second Test against Wales in Wellington on Saturday.
Whitelock's return comes at the expense of the dropped Luke Romano.
The All Blacks also shuffled their back three, with Israel Dagg in at full-back and Ben Smith moving to left wing with Julian Savea omitted.
Wales lost the first Test 39-21 and a much-changed team lost 40-7 to the Chiefs on Tuesday.
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said: "Our performance in the first Test was very pleasing in a number of ways, especially how we kept our composure under pressure.
Wales' summer fixtures: |
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11 June: New Zealand 39-21 Wales (Auckland) |
14 June: Chiefs 40-7 Wales (Hamilton) |
18 June: New Zealand (Wellington) |
25 June: New Zealand (Dunedin) |
"However, there is an expectation that we will need to improve right across the board, with better accuracy, in both our attack and defence, combined with more physicality and intensity.
"We are expecting Wales to come out all guns blazing, particularly after what happened in the Chiefs game, so we will have to not only meet that response, but go to a higher level ourselves."
Whitelock is back after a hamstring injury while Dagg will win his 50th cap after being left out of New Zealand's World Cup squad.
New Zealand: Israel Dagg; Ben Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Ryan Crotty, Waisake Naholo; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
Replacements: Nathan Harris; Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Seta Tamanivalu.
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