Wales know where it all went wrong
WARREN GATLAND watched his Wales side thrashed in Dunedin as the All Blacks completed a series whitewash.
But the head coach vowed his team will learn tough lessons from their 3-0 thumping on his native soil.
Gatland (below) acknowledged the trip had exposed areas of their game in need of radical work if Wales are ever to end their 63-year losing run against the All Blacks.
The 52-year-old said: “This was very disappointing. We thought there were plenty of positives from the first two Tests and we started this one pretty well.
“But it was important to stay in the game and we needed to score before half time when we had the opportunity.
“There were times when our kick chase was not good enough and we missed a few one-on-one tackles.
“Our tackle success rate was well below our usual standards.
”We came to New Zealand with a different mindset to evolve our game and be positive in attack. I feel we have done that.
“But defensively we have been disappointing and have let ourselves down in an area we have traditionally been good at.”
It was an impressive start to a new era for New Zealand following the loss of so many of the stars that clinched the World Cup last October.
Fly-half Beauden Barrett scored 26 points, including two secondhalf tries, with Ben Smith, George Moala, Dane Coles and Israel Dagg also touching down in the rout.
Head coach Steve Hansen said: “It’s a tough time for teams at the end of their season, especially in a World Cup year. For Wales, in what was their 17th Test match, maybe some of their guys were already on the plane home.
“They are a better team than that last game. Wales will regroup and come back stronger for the November Tests and then be a force in the Six Nations.”