RHYS PATCHELL EXPECTED to watch Wales’s second Test against the All Blacks on television in Cardiff — instead he’ll be facing the world champions’ fearsome haka after an exhausting dash across the globe.
The 23-year-old had resigned himself to missing out on the tour before a series of injuries saw him called into Warren Gatland’s squad.
Patchell said he was about to start a round of golf last Saturday when he received a call telling him to drop everything and get to New Zealand.
After rushing to the airport, he touched down in Hamilton on Monday and found himself playing for Wales the next day on the wrong end of a 40-7 drubbing from the Waikato Chiefs.
Patchell’s week became more surreal when he found himself named as the Wales starting fullback for the second Test in Wellington after Liam Williams, who wore the number 15 shirt in the first Test, was moved to the right wing to replace the injured George North.
Patchell, whose only two previous caps came during a 2013 tour to Japan, admitted his head was still spinning.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind few days but I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he told reporters, adding: “I tried to stay awake for as long as I could so I didn’t get any jetlag.”
He is likely to face a torrid time against the All Blacks, with his opposite number Israel Dagg set to test his ability under the high ball.
But Patchell said he was thrilled to be back playing for Wales again after a long absence and relishing the challenge against the All Blacks.
“A lot of people wait a lot longer than I have for an international call up,” he said.
“For some people it doesn’t come, so I’m fortunate that it has come around.”
He comes in as one of two changes for the second game of the series against the All Blacks.
The other change sees Luke Charteris, a 66-Test veteran lock who captained Wales to their 40-7 defeat against the Chiefs on Tuesday, starting alongside Alun Wyn Jones in the second row, meaning Bradley Davies drops to the bench.
Gethin Jenkins, Ken Owens and Samson Lee make up the front-row with Ross Moriarty, Sam Warburton and Taulupe Faletau completing an unchanged back-row.
Wales:
15. Rhys Patchell (Cardiff Blues)
14. Liam Williams (Scarlets)
13. Jonathan Davies (Clermont)
12. Jamie Roberts (Harlequins)
11. Hallam Amos (Dragons)
10. Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
9. Rhys Webb (Ospreys)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets)
3. Samson Lee (Scarlets)
4. Luke Charteris (Racing Metro)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)
6. Ross Moriarty (Gloucester)
7. Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) Capt
8. Taulupe Faletau (Dragons).
Replacements:
16. Scott Baldwin (Ospreys)
17. Rob Evans (Scarlets)
18. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs)
19. Bradley Davies (Wasps)
20. Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
22. Rhys Priestland (Bath Rugby)
23. Scott Williams (Scarlets).
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