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Wales sweat on George North hamstring

Auckland - Wales despair at losing the first Test to New Zealand 39-21 in Auckland deepened Saturday with fears of another serious injury blow which may end the tour for star wing George North.

North was a standout performer for Wales, stepping around Julian Savea and forcing the All Blacks to replace their left wing early in the second half.

However, the Northampton Saints wing pulled up lame late in the game and coach Warren Gatland feared the worst.

"George has a hamstring injury and we'll assess him tomorrow(Sunday) to see if he'll be able to play a further part in the tour," Gatland said.

As a precaution, Wales early Sunday called up teen sensation Giles Keenan and flyhalf Rhys Patchell to fly to New Zealand as cover.

Giles would replace North if needed while Patchell would be insurance cover for Gareth Anscombe and fullback Liam Williams who also suffered knocks during the Test, although Gatland downplayed the extent of their injuries.

If North is ruled out it will be a huge setback for Wales who have a mounting injury toll.

Scrum-half Aled Davies arrived in New Zealand a few hours ahead of the first Test to replace Lloyd Williams who suffered an ankle injury in training and will not recover in time for the remaining games.

He is the second replacement flown in for the three-Test tour after Aaron Jarvis arrived on Wednesday to cover for prop Paul James who was sidelined by a calf injury.

Even before the tour began, Wales were forced to leave behind flanks Dan Lydiate and Justin Tipuric as well as wing Alex Cuthbert because of injuries.


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