Share

Luke Charteris: Wales thrashed by Chiefs

Gatland wants Wales to show more dominance in possession in the second Test and wants to see further improvement after captain Sam Warburton branded the team “heroic losers”.

Advertisement

Warren Gatland’s homecoming turned into a sorry affair for the tourists, who, despite fielding their second stringers, were expected to deal to a Chiefs side minus not only their All Blacks, but several others through injury.

Hansen said it meant Wales would be fired up as they seek to end a 63-year losing streak against New Zealand at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

New Zealand have pledged to hit top gear on Saturday morning after a rusty performance in the first Test in which they trailed going into the final quarter before a trio of tries earned a 39-21 victory. “They’re hurting right now and that makes them risky. they’ll front up in a big way”, he told reporters.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has largely kept the faith with the side that lost the first test to the All Blacks and made just two changes to the starting line-up for their second match against the world champions in Wellington on Saturday.

“It was disappointing. We asked a few questions of some players by giving them an opportunity, but some of them didn’t take their chance and we weren’t clinical enough in finishing off our chances”, said Gatland.

“Sometimes the game of rugby is very simple – it is a physical game about collisions and they were better than us in attack and defence in that area”.

Warburton, who played all but the last eight minutes at Eden Park, was not originally named to face the Chiefs.

“It wasn’t pretty and we had to defend for probably 80 per cent of the game, but this group of battlers did well tonight”.

Patchell initially missed the cut for New Zealand but, after training with the squad before they flew Down Under, received a call-up after the first Test because of North’s hamstring injury and Anscombe’s blow. “You take a couple of those opportunities”.

“I’m not sure if it says anything about New Zealand rugby”, he says.

“He’s quick. He’s got a big boot on him and we think he can do a job for us there”.

“There’s a lot on the line for the players who are playing on Tuesday in terms of personal and team performance before we announce the side for Saturday”.

Advertisement

“We’ve got to have a look at ourselves because it is not acceptable to lose by that sort of margin”.

Free Press Series