Expectations will not weigh heavily on Tandy’s men, Welsh sides have experienced every circle of hell against the All Blacks

When Michael Holding started to accelerate his long run, after a spell of short run due to injury, West Indies wicketkeeper Jeffrey Dujon thought the brilliant fast bowler had forgotten something in the dressing room.

Facing the All black people?

You get the idea.

For Wales, in particular, the Kiwis always seem to come in for the long haul.

Some doubted the quality of New Zealand’s performance against Scotland, and it should be noted that their defense was not as solid as it could have been, conceding 36 tackles.

But when they found themselves, the All Blacks were as relentless as a publican who got out of bed on the wrong side. They dashed Murrayfield’s hopes of a historic first Scottish win in the game by turning a 24-21 half-time lead into a clear 43-21 at the end. Inventiveness was mixed with mastery of the basics and an unwavering belief that all would be well for the visitors when the final whistle blew. And it was, as we knew it would be.

Not exactly an ideal challenge right now for a Wales a side cemented in the third division of test rugby, if the sections are divided into rows of four.

A friend inside Australia for the Rugby World Cup informed the WhatsApp group this writer is in and said he had booked accommodation run by nuns. It was not unexpected that requests came in from the house of prayer for Wales this weekend, with one contributor pushing his luck and greedily asking for a miracle. Score predictions had a baseline of 50 points in favor of New Zealand.

But gloom and doom was the way against Wales New Zealand since Bleddyn Williams and the ’53 boys beat Bob Stuart’s All Blacks to give the Red Dragons a 3-1 series lead. Since then, the Kiwis’ 34 straight wins have turned the once great rivalry into something anti-bullying might be interested in.

Nor do the bookies see the streak ending anytime soon, with the tourists 1/80 favorites to win at the weekend. For those not completely au fait with betting odds, that’s the probability in the region of the odd fireworks that will go off around bonfire night.

Wales also have some pressing questions to answer after their underwhelming win over Japan. Can Steve Tandy repair the line that Warren Dearns, Harry Hockings and Jack Cornelsen systematically dismantled just days ago? Is it possible to conjure some impulse to carry the ball from locks and props? What can be done to improve better decision-making and execution at half-back? Can Tandy convince some of his forwards on the bench that it is not against the known laws of rugby if they have influence?

Tandy needs to do something about carrying the ball forward. Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright and Lake did their part commendably against Japan. Other members of the starting pack? Not so much.

Sorting out the layout will be a priority as the Brave Blossoms stole Wales’ set-pieces, took six Welsh disposals and left the hosts with 69 per cent of their possession.

If it didn’t look like the visitors were jumping on the statues, then Dewi Lake, Ben Carter, Daf Jenkins and the Welsh lifters didn’t seem quite on the same page when it came to the not inconsequential issue of securing their own possession. In short, everything was a bit shambolic.

You wondered if Taine Plumtree, a renowned line operator, and 6ft 8in Adam Beard could have improved things had they been named on the bench.

Tandy also needs to do something about carrying the ball forward. Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright and Lake did their part commendably against Japan. Other members of the starting pack? Not so much. Indeed, the five were only five meters between them with the ball in hand.

As for those charged with galvanizing Wales from the bench, there were just eight runs from the five forward replacements, a handful from Ryan Elias, who made seven meters while the rest were just two meters.

Wales won just 38 percent of possession; their possession was poor and they were forced into 227 tackles. Any Welshman who turned up expecting five-star service would be disappointed, as no one even came close to offering to take their coats and say, “Would the gentleman peruse our extensive wine list, or can I take him through the chef’s daily specials, with particular attention to the filet mignon?”

Instead, those behind the domestic feud had to make do.

This made life especially challenging for the half-backs, but they could still do better. Sam Costelow may have woken up on Sunday morning thinking he would have done things differently had he had his early Saturday night again, with the ball kicked out of promising attacking positions at least twice.

Can Costelow or Dan Edwards become the undisputed number one in the number 10 position before the season is over? Or will talented young Scarlet Carwyn Leggatt-Jones take a big step forward and inherit the throne occupied by so much light in days gone by?

There are silver linings for Tandy. Blair Murray, Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams formed a sharp back three against Japan, with Murray and Rees-Zammit beating 23 defenders between them.

Or will the Welsh selectors opt for the (not particularly advisable) policy of chop and change – ’45. is the Saturday of the year, so it must be Dan’s turn?

Let’s hope it’s not the latter.

Some feel that right now, ahead of the All Blacks game, it’s not the main issue anyway. “After watching Wales and New Zealand over the weekend, I don’t think it really matters who gets picked at 10,” offered a contributor to the BBC’s online debate on who should feature at fly-half for Wales this Saturday. “Sam? Dan? The woman who runs the post office? The end result will be the same.”

Optimism, therefore, is not quite as rampant in Wales ahead of the visit of the Kiwis.

There is a strange silver lining for Tandy to cling to, though. Blair Murray, Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams formed a sharp back three against Japan, with Murray and Rees-Zammit beating 23 defenders between them.

“I just play with a smile on my face, I play with confidence and I always think I can beat the defenders and I feel very good in defense,” Rees-Zammit said later. Welsh supporters will be hoping that such admirable confidence survives the meeting with New Zealand.

There was plenty to like about Eddie James’ effort against Japan too, if not the late dismissal that ended up in the hands of the Japanese and set the visitors up for a last-gasp try that ensured a nervy end to the match for Wales.

But James was still largely credited with his strength and presence in the middle of the court. Wales were looking for a center to build their three-quarter line; in James they found one.

Wales need more of that resilience against New Zealand, with the All Blacks boasting a red-zone efficiency of 58 per cent against Scotland. For the avoidance of doubt, it is quite clinical.

Others who emerged with their reputations intact included Morgan and Wainwright. Credit, too, to Nicky Smith, Lake and Adams, who all claimed vital turnovers within a meter or two of Wales’ line. Had Japan converted just one of those attacks, the hosts might not have had a victory to celebrate.

Wales will need more of that resilience against New Zealand, with the All Blacks boasting a red-zone efficiency of 58 per cent against Scotland. For the avoidance of doubt, it is quite clinical. The Scots were operating at 30 per cent in the kill zone, while Wales converted on four of 10 occasions when inside Japan’s 22 – not the worst effort but the best sides are significantly ahead.

Expectations won’t weigh on Tandy’s men, then, in their penultimate Nations Championship pool game. Better Welsh teams than this have stopped in almost every circle of hell against the All Blacks.

If Dewi Lake and Co can stop this Kiwi team running away with things, that would at least be something.

But that challenge will not be easy.