All Blacks axe eight after England defeat

New Zealand coach John Mitchell has wielded the axe after his side’s weekend defeat by England.

Mitchell has dropped eight players for the All Blacks clash with Wales in Hamilton on Saturday after Clive Woodward’s men scored only England’s second ever win in New Zealand with a 15-13 triumph in Wellington.

Mitchell has drafted in a whole new front row with Carl Hoeft, Keven Mealamu and Kees Meeuws carrying All Black hopes.

Leon MacDonald, Daniel Carter and Steve Devine are the newcomers in the backline while Marty Holah and Jerry Collins will play at openside flanker and number eight respectively.

Ma’a Nonu, Caleb Ralph, Justin Marshall, Dave Hewett, Anton Oliver, Greg Somerville, Richard McCaw and Rodney So’oialo are the players to lose their starting positions.

New Zealand team: L MacDonald (Canterbury); D Howlett, T Umaga, D Carter, J Rokocoko; C Spencer, S Devine; C Hoeft, K Mealamu, K Meeuws, C Jack, A Williams, R Thorne (capt), M Holah, J Collins.

Replacements: M Muliaina, A Mauger, B Kelleher, R McCaw, B Thorn.