Gatland sounds battle cry

LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff.co.nz

INTERESTING WEEK: Coach Graham Henry arrives at the All Blacks' hotel in Cardiff.

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Wales coach Warren Gatland has fired the first shot in what should be an interesting week in Cardiff by declaring "the All Blacks' aura is not what it used to be".

In an interview in the Wales on Sunday newspaper, the Kiwi coach has sounded an early battle cry by calling on his men to shake off the mental block they have when playing the All Blacks, a side they haven't beaten since 1953.

The All Blacks have won their last 20 tests over Wales, including some pretty one-sided results in recent times, but if Gatland is to be believed, they now have the ideal chance to end that sorry run.

"New Zealand have lost that aura of invincibility," the former Waikato hooker Gatland, who played a part in an All Blacks outfit that went 50 games unbeaten around the 1987 World Cup, told the Welsh newspaper.

"I was lucky enough to be involved in that period when, from 1986-1990, we went all those matches undefeated, and it was there then.

"But like everything, over a period of time, that aura does slowly break down if you are not always successful."

Gatland, of course, is playing mind games with his players, but his words are bound to stir up the All Blacks who will not want to be the side that ends more than a half a century of dominance over the Welsh.

"We've seen them lose in past World Cups, but this year they have gone through a couple of poor patches as well," added Gatland.

"We can take confidence from the first 50 minutes against the All Blacks last year and we beat Australia in the last game.

"Then there's confidence from the players who are returning from the Lions believing that they are good enough to compete with the best players in the world.

"As coaches we have to use that to keep building the confidence and make sure the players are not in awe of the All Blacks. In the past they've put New Zealand on too much of a pedestal.

"Hopefully now they believe that, if we play to our potential, we can win on the day."

It's always an interesting week when the Welsh and All Blacks do battle in Cardiff.

But if Gatland keeps this up it could be a ripper.

- © Fairfax NZ News