Wales must escape without humiliation and they need more from two players

AS IF it wasn't hard enough, Wales face the daunting prospect of a fired up All Black team in Cardiff this weekend. No one is expecting Wales to win, escaping without humiliation would be very acceptable.

- GWYN JONES

> Alex Mann

This is not dissimilar to my experience of playing against New Zealand 20-odd years ago. We faced a team of legends in Wembley that included Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen and Zinzan Brooke to name but a few.

I found myself holding two beliefs at the same time. I knew they were miles better than us and going to win comfortably, yet I also held on to the idea that there is always a chance that a miracle could happen.

It didn’t take long for reality to bite. The All Blacks exploded into the game and racked up a 14-point lead in no time. Dreams of a heroic afternoon were dashed within minutes.

The New Zealand of today are not the world beaters we are used to seeing, but like their predecessors they have the ability to score points quickly. Tries come in bursts and before you know it they are out of sight.

They shocked the Springboks at Eden Park this summer, racing to a 14-0 lead within 15 minutes. A margin the Boks could never claw back.