GREAT Britain stand-off Gareth Widdop says the team have put their opening tour defeat behind them and are ready to take on New Zealand.

The tourists have moved on from Hamilton, where they suffered a surprise 14-6 defeat by a Tongan Invitational XIII, and are gearing up for back-to-back Tests with the Kiwis, starting at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

"It's been a great week," Widdop said. "We reviewed last week's game and moved on.

"We looked at areas where we did well and areas where we need to improve. It's going to be tough but we will certainly be better for last week's game."

Coach Wayne Bennett has brought in Jake Connor at centre and prop Joe Philbin onto the bench to plug the gaps created by injury to Oliver Gildart and Luke Thompson and made a tactical move by adding hooker Daryl Clark to the squad.

First choice number nine Josh Hodgson has welcomed the competition from the Warrington hooker.

"Daz brings a lot to the team and gives us good options," Hodgson said. "He's quick out of dummy half and can take them on and run when he needs to.

"He gives us good options, whether that's having us both on or rotating us. Maybe last week we needed that little bit of spark."

Connor, who was not born the last time the Lions won a Test match in New Zealand in 1992, says the mood in the camp quickly lifted after their disappointing performance at Waikato Stadium.

"It was just like any loss really but the day after the mood was fine," he said. "Wayne picked us all back up.

"It's not the end of the world, we've still got three games left. We've got a chance to put it right.

"We have to start completing our sets in good spots, playing in the pocket and having a few more shots with good ball, put a few more plays on."

The Test will be part of a triple header at Eden Park, sandwiched between Oceania Cup matches between Samoa and Fiji and Australia against Tonga.

New Zealand 19: R Tuivasa-Sheck (NZ Warriors); K Maumalo (NZ Warriors), C Nicoll-Klokstad (Canberra), J Manu (Sydney Roosters), J Isaako (Brisbane); K Foran (Canterbury Bulldogs), B Marshall (Wests Tigers, capt); Z Tetevano (Sydney Roosters), B Smith (Melbourne), J Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters), B Nikora (Cronulla), K Bromwich (Melbourne), J Tapine (Canberra).

Replacements: J Hughes (Melbourne), C Harawira-Naera (Canterbury Bulldogs), L Ah Mau (NZ Warriors), A Blair (NZ Warriors).

Great Britain 19: J Lomax (St Helens); J McGillvary (Huddersfield), Z Hardaker (Wigan), J Connor (Hull), R Hall (Sydney Roosters); G Widdop (St George Illawarra), J Hastings (Salford); C Hill (Warrington), J Hodgson (Canberra), T Burgess (Sydney Roosters), J Bateman (Canberra), E Whitehead (Canberra), J Graham (St George Illawarrra (capt).

Replacements: J Jones (Salford), J Philbin (Warrington), D Clark (Warrington), A Walmsley (St Helens).