England rugby coach Clive Woodward has responded drastically to his team's 36-3 first test loss to New Zealand, making six changes for the second test at Auckland on Saturday.
Only four members of England's World Cup-winning starting XV have survived as Woodward has reshaped the backline and forward pack in a bid to repair his team's insipid performance at Dunedin.
Scrumhalf and vice-captain Matt Dawson and 62-test veteran Mike Catt were sidelined in a reshuffle Woodward hopes will stiffen his team's resolve in the second match of the two-test series.
A shoulder injury to wing Doug Howlett, who scored one of the All Blacks' three tries in Dunedin, has forced New Zealand to make one change to its starting lineup.
Otago Highlanders utility Nick Evans will make his first starting appearance for the All Blacks at fullback while Mils Muliaina moves from fullback to cover Howlett's right wing.
"Nick [Evans] was excited about being named on the bench last week but it's different when you're named in the starting 15," said All Blacks back coach Wayne Smith.
"He trained very well this week and he's a bright young fellow."
Smith said Evans would have to be prepared to face an onslaught from a improved England team.
"I know some of the England guys well and they're far too proud to let that happen again," he said. "They'll come in faster and the hits will be bigger. It will be a cracker of a game."
Further injury concerns have caused coach Graham Henry to bracket Ritchie McCaw and Marty Holah on the openside flank and make several changes to his reserves for Saturday's match.
McCaw sustained a head injury in Dunedin and will undergo psychometric tests before being confirmed in his starting place. Henry has called two new caps, flanker Craig Newby and scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan, into his squad to cover injured players.
Newby will take a place on the reserves bench if McCaw is ruled out while Cowan is covering replacement halfback Bryon Kelleher, who has a hamstring injury.
Flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, New Zealand's leading pointscorer in tests, has also been named in the reserves after Evans' graduation to the starting side.
Woodward's side has been much more aggressively reshaped as he attempts to address the poor efforts in defense and in set pieces which cost the first test.
Andy Gomarsall has replaced Dawson at halfback and Stuart Abbott has been named in Catt's place at inside center. Tom Voyce will start on the wing in place of James Simpson-Daniel.
Woodward has also attempted to strengthen a forward pack which was outshone by the All Blacks in scrums and lineouts and beaten for pace and hunger in the loose.
Matt Regan has taken Steve Thompson's place at hooker and Steve Borthwick has replaced Danny Grewcock at lock, addressing England's poor lineout performance at Carisbrook.
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