All Blacks coach expects improved Ireland for second Test

The All Blacks know to expect an Irish side "desperate to keep the series alive" when the sides clash in Dunedin on Saturday, says Ian Foster.

Leading 1-0 following the 42-19 victory in Eden Park last weekend, the three-time world champions will wrap up the series unless Ireland can pull off a first ever win on New Zealand soil.

Like Ireland, who have switched in fit-again Mack Hansen for Keith Earls on the wing, New Zealand have made just one change, with Scott Barrett moving from the flank to second row instead of Sam Whitelock and Dalton Papalii stepping up from the bench.

"The second week is always tough, it's a three-Test programme. We want to win the series so that means this week, for us," said head coach Foster.

"We saw last week that there were two very good rugby teams on the park.

"The nice thing is that we know how much they want it.

"We saw that on Saturday so we know they are going to be desperate to keep the series alive and so we shouldn’t be surprised that we have to go up and progress and we’ve spoken about that.

"Talking is one thing and doing is another thing, but we’re pretty determined."

Asked about the difference between the Irish side who won 29-20 in November and the team that lost last Saturday, he said: "They’ve played quite a bit of rugby since then whereas we haven't. They’ve played the Six Nations in between the two windows.

"They’re a smart rugby team, and they are trying to evolve what they do as well. I think everyone is in that space nowadays.

"We saw a team [in the first Test] that’s got a pretty good understanding of what they want to achieve, so their clarity of roles, and their intentions, and how they move collectively as a group, is really strong.

"It’s probably their best strength and so