All Blacks under pressure ahead of second France Test

The All Blacks are at a crossroads as they head into Saturday's second rugby Test against France.

After a fumbling performance in the first Test in which they needed a late penalty to hold out a severely weakened French team, players and coaching staff are under pressure to produce huge improvement in the second match in Wellington.

New Zealand was expected to easily beat a French team stripped of most of its Six Nations stars. Instead, the hosts struggled to assert any dominance, losing the aerial contest and at the breakdown before etching out a 31-27 victory.

Head coach Scott Robertson has laid down a challenge to players by naming a line-up which has only been changed in response to injuries. In doing so, he has placed pressure on players who under-performed last week to win more convincingly.

"I think the narrative has changed a little bit around what team they've brought," Robertson said.

"We're focusing a little bit on continuity.

"We want to give the players a chance to build their combinations. This is three-Test series. We've got one down and there's a big one on Saturday."

Pressure will begin to come on Robertson if the All Blacks are unable to step up to a higher level on Saturday after he also lost four Tests in his first season in charge.

Robertson has been forced into a late switch with winger Caleb Clarke ruled out of the series after sustaining a high ankle injury during training on Thursday.

Clarke, who had replaced the concussed Sevu Reece in the starting 15, is having scans to establish the extent of the injury and his recovery time.

Emoni Narawa will start now on the right wing in Wellington while Rieko Ioane shifts to the left.

France has made 10 changes to its starting lineup with coach Fabien Galthie bringing in five players who missed last weekend's match after being involved in the final of the French Top 14 club competition.

The only players to retain their places are Theo Attissogbe, who moves from fullback to the wing, Emilien Gailleton who moves from centre to wing, flyhalf Joris Segonds, scrumhalf Nolann Le Garrec and hooker Gaetan Barlot, who will captain the team.

Four players in the starting lineup will make their international debut, all of them in the forward pack, with the starting line-up only boasting 50 cumulative Test caps.

The match is a double-header with the Wallaroos facing the Black Ferns in the early fixture.