All Blacks make 9 changes, hand Whitelock record-equalling cap

New Zealand announced nine changes to their starting lineup to face Namibia on Friday in their second Pool A match of the Rugby World Cup after losing to France in the tournament's opening game.

The 27-13 defeat to the hosts was the first time the All Blacks have ever lost a pool game in a World Cup.

"We had a plan on how we want to approach this and we have had to adapt that based on injuries and who is coming back but we are pretty satisfied that we have to rebound from round one. It is a key game for us to get right and we've selected accordingly," said New Zealand coach Ian Foster.

"We certainly have got a couple of areas we really want to focus on and I'm probably not going to share what they are just yet."

Sam Whitelock will make his 148th international appearance for the three-time world champions, equalling the record of Richie McCaw.

Only Alun Wyn Jones of Wales, with 171, has made more international appearances than Whitelock and McCaw.

"It's a massive occasion for Sam and for us as a team. I think he has been a warrior for this team for a long time and to equal someone like Richie is a massive achievement," said Foster.

"We all know how much it means for him to pull on a black jersey and to do it for the 148th time is a very special occasion, one that we make sure we put a performance on that gives that record a lot of respect and celebrate it with him afterwards.

Whitelock is one of six players retained by coach Ian Foster for the game in Toulouse from the team that lost to France last Friday.

The others are Ardie Savea, who will captain the side, Beauden Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown, Dalton Papali'i and Nepo Laulala.

Foster said injured captain Sam Cane "is probably not that close" to being ready. "Not as close as we