Edwards’ arrogance a spur for All Blacks

RUGBY

Liam Napier in Cardiff Warren Gatland will need to reverse more than just his side’s woeful form when he takes back the Welsh reins against the All Blacks this week.

The former Waikato hooker may wish he could take back the bullish words of defence coach Shaun Edwards after last year’s Rugby World Cup which the All Blacks won.

He believed Wales, who eventually finished fourth, would have beaten the All Blacks in the final.

‘‘When I’m old and grey sitting in my rocking chair I’ll look back and say yeah we done well, but it was a missed opportunity not to come home with a gold medal,’’ Edwards told the official Six Nations website last November.

‘‘I mean particularly looking at how the final went – the All Blacks were there for the taking.

‘‘I just think had we have gotten into the final, given the size of our team, we could have matched them.’’

His comments hit a raw nerve that hasn’t stopped aching.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and first five-eighths Aaron Cruden confirmed yesterday there was lingering resentment towards Edwards’ perceived arrogance.

‘‘You never sort of forget things like that,’’ Cruden said.

‘‘There was a lot of talk last year surrounding the World Cup that they fancied their chances if they made it through to the final of tipping us up, so I’m sure there is no lack of motivation for them and it’ll be exactly the same for us.’’

Edwards’ remarks appear to have served the All Blacks with the perfect motivation this week in Cardiff.

Hansen has challenged Wales to back up those bold statements at Millennium Stadium.

‘‘They wanted to play us in the final of the World Cup and told us they were going to beat us,’’ Hansen recalled. ‘‘This is their opportunity to prove that. We just need to turn up and play the way we can play. Whatever they’ve done prior they’ll get right up for this game. It’s the one they’ve been waiting for.’’

After finishing his duties with the British and Irish Lions this week, Gatland rejoins the Welsh as they slip further into disarray after shock losses to Argentina and Samoa confined them to five straight defeats.

Wales were the darlings of last year’s World Cup until captain Sam Warburton copped a controversial red card early in the semifinal against France. That effectively ended their tournament and they’ve been stewing over it ever since.

Over 13 months later, Wales get the chance to prove their talk isn’t cheap.

And there’s no doubt their wretched run of form has them at boiling point. ‘‘I’d say so. That’s the feeling we get,’’ Hansen said.

Having coached Wales, Hansen knows their mentality and he expects last year’s ghosts to wake them from a near knockout count.

Injuries have played some part in Wales’ sudden and surprise demise. Most pundits expected their talented young squad to come of age and challenge the balance of power. They’ve instead gone backwards.

Questions were again asked of their mental frailties after three defeats to the Wallabies in June. All three tests the Welsh had by the scruff only to inexplicably blow it at the death. Their confidence appears shot. Losing to the Pumas and Samoa at home were demoralising blows.