UPDATED 11.32AM: All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has paid tribute to Wales after New Zealand make a shaky start to the international season at Eden Park.

The world champions scored three unanswered second-half tries to overturn a 21-18 deficit and win the first test 39-21.

Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo helped spark the All Blacks' second-half comeback, and coach Steve Hansen offered some words of encouragement to him, despite some apparent frustration.

"I won't say what he said [after the first half] because you can't print it," he said.

"I made the comment to him, 'Son the pleasing thing is that you came through the other side of that'. That takes a lot of effort."

Hansen says they were troubled by Wales' outside three in particular, particularly George North. However he also pointed out that North had an injured and they might not need to worry about him.

Referee Wayne Barnes was embroiled in another forward pass controversy during the match.

Barnes judged a pass from Aaron Cruden to TJ Perenara was forward, overruling television match official George Ayoub when he determined it to be back out of Cruden's hands.

While the All Blacks weren't impressed post-match, Wales coach Warren Gatland says the lead-up to Waisake Naholo's second try contained a forward pass, and joked Barnes made-up for his no-call at the 2007 Rugby World Cup so the All Blacks wouldn't complain anymore.

Wales have called in two players as injury cover for the next test in Wellington on Saturday, while they also play a tour match against the Chiefs on Tuesday night.

First-five Rhys Patchell and age-group winger Keelan Giles are joining the squad immediately.

Patchell has two Wales caps, both earned on the 2013 summer tour to Japan, while 18-year-old Giles is currently part of Wales' under-20 world cup squad.

Meanwhile, two of Wales' Six Nations rivals have recorded historic results: Ireland's stunned South Africa 26-20 in Cape Town and England's downed Australia 39-28 in Brisbane.