Clever Gatland's war of words

Reuters

KEEN: Warren Gatland.

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OPINION: Clever bugger that Warren Gatland. Sometimes. With a pretty clear agenda in a Sunday newspaper interview and some extensive followup coverage he's somehow managed to put the acid on the All Blacks this week.

How did he manage that?

We've spent most of this week discussing the supposed "lost aura" of the All Blacks as though all the pressure was on them heading into this weekend's match at the Millennium Stadium.

As a result much of the focus has gone on Graham Henry's side, with the main Welsh themes being around how they now finally have the confidence and cohesion to knock over an All Blacks outfit that's perceived to be vulnerable and off its game.

For a team that's spent half a century coming up short against New Zealand, the Welsh sure have been a cocky lot this week.

Were they not watching in Wellington and Tokyo? All indications are that the All Black slump has been as short-lived as it was painful.

But hang on a minute. This is a Welsh side that hasn't beaten the All Blacks since 1953. That's 20 straight test defeats in a row which makes this less a rivalry and more a clear-cut case of bullying.

Let's examine the meetings between the two sides in the professional era. One game stands out like the proverbial, the 26-25 nailbiter in 2004 when the All Blacks hung on grimly for a hard-fought victory. But the rest have been one-way traffic - 42-7 in London ('97), 43-17 in Cardiff ('02), 55-3 in Hamilton ('03), 53-37 in Sydney ('03), 41-3 in Cardiff ('05), 45-10 in Cardiff ('06) and then last year's 29-9 victory at the Millennium that was practically hailed a Welsh victory on the strength of a pretty passionate first-half effort.

OK, that's eight matches since 1996, eight straight wins to the All Blacks, for an average score of 42-14.

If any side has lost its aura, surely it's the Welsh.

If any side is under special pressure this weekend here in Europe's rugby capital, surely it's the Welsh.

Winning against teams like Wales, Ireland and Scotland is a habit for the All Blacks. Coaches can use all the gambits they want, the New Zealanders know if they turn up with anything approaching their best stuff, they'll continue a run of results that's not so much a trend as an embarrassment.

And really all Gatland's motivational ploys have done this week is put the All Blacks on high alert. They've steadfastly refused to buy into the debate on their faded (or vanished) aura, but be sure of one thing - even the discussion has annoyed the heck out of them.

Surely, then, it's the Welsh who are under the gun now. All this talk about their readiness and confidence must have their long-suffering fans in a lather about the prospect of seeing their team knock over the All Blacks in what for most would be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Most Welsh fans who remember the last famous victory (1953 at the old Arms Park, 13-8, two tries to one) have now either gone on to another place, or else they're sitting in the corner of their locals drooling into their pints of Brains struggling to get the barman's attention, let alone their fellow patrons'.

But Gatland has set a fairly smart agenda this week. Either that or a dumb one. I can't quite decide, and won't have a definitive judgment for you until, oh, about 8am Sunday, Kiwi time.

If his players get the victory he's trying to convince them that is within their grasp, he will be hailed a master motivator. But if the angry ABs indulge is some hefty retribution, he may not want to attend the post-match media conference.

One thing is for sure. The Kiwi coach of Wales has certainly made it an interesting week in the principality.

- © Fairfax NZ News