Ireland 'in a good place' ahead of second Test against All Blacks - Farrell

Andy Farrell says it's important to allow his players correct the mistakes of last week's first Test against New Zealand.

The Ireland head coach has made just one change to his side for Saturday's second Test in Dunedin this Saturday, with Mack Hansen coming in for Keith Earls having missed last week's 42-19 defeat due to Covid-19.

With a short turnaround to the game against the Maori All Blacks in Wellington on Tuesday, Farrell was never likely to make sweeping changes for the second Test in particular, and the head coach says it's important to allow his team prove their worth.

"There's all sorts of different ramifications that go into selection. Sometimes players probably haven't performed to the standards they judge themselves on. To not give people an opportunity to correct that is sometimes missing an opportunity, so there's a little bit of that," he told RTÉ Sport.

"Some people are unlucky not to start because they had a good impact off the bench, and they understand that as well."

Farrell added that preparations have been a lot smoother this week, having had to deal with several injuries and Covid-19 complications for their opening tour matches.

"To go along with all of that, the guys that get to play on Tuesday night have an opportunity to put their hand up for the third Test again. In our first hit-out, we had a troubled week as everyone knows. This has been more of a straightforward week.

"A lot of our lads get to have an opportunity to go again.

"To be honest, the lads are in a good place. Thursday before the Test match, you'd expect them to be, but even early in the week.

"There's a bit of doubt creeps in when you don't know the answers, but they know the answers, they know the bits they need to get right, they know