Wales defence coach Gethin Jenkins has questioned whether his players live on the edge enough after a miserable defensive outing against the All Blacks in their autumn opener.
Wales went into the match looking to end 69 years of waiting for a victory over New Zealand. While that was always unlikely, the manner of defeat - with the All Blacks scoring more points than ever before in Wales - was certainly disappointing.
The eight tries and how they came about, with New Zealand continually making easy yards against a Welsh rearguard that couldn't live with the Kiwi's ruck speed and footwork through contact in the tight, was concerning. The ease of passage for the All Blacks was all the more frustrating given how Wales fronted up across three Tests in South Africa this summer.
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Jenkins, who has now conceded half-centuries in each of his meetings with New Zealand as defence coach, said that this Saturday's opponents Argentina will pose a similar threat to the Springboks in terms of a relatively slower, one-out carrying game supplemented with more tactical kicking.
He's right, although that only adds to the need for Wales front up this weekend against Michael Cheika's side, while it also raises questions over how Wales go about stopping sides who can combine physical carrying with smart subtleties around the contact area. Ireland having risen to the top of the world rankings doing similar.
"We knew New Zealand would be different in terms of the speed of the game, their footwork, which meant we had to move a bit quicker and be smart in the decisions we are making," said Jenkins.
"We've got to be able to move at a height where we can tackle and cleanout in international rugby. They were very good at that and they probably dominated us in that area in terms of the height they were winning collisions at as well as the other side of the ball."
That admission was the result of what Jenkins describes as an "emotional" Monday, with the squad and management "picking the game apart to find out where we can get better".
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"There were a lot of honest conversations around how we get better for this weekend," he added. "There is no point in us feeling sorry for ourselves.
"In terms of defence, they got into our 22 and scored seven tries. We conceded two offsides in the backs and one penalty on top of that.
"That paints a little bit of a picture of where we were and what we delivered as a team. There is a lot of frustration, but we’ve got another big Test match at the weekend and we just need to get better. Hopefully that hit out will put us in a better place physically.
"We knew pretty much what was coming in terms of New Zealand's power game, their pick and goes and their forward carriers. They didn’t surprise us, we just couldn’t match that.
"I’m not hiding away from that, and neither are the players, it is an area we need to improve on. As a coach I have to reflect on it.
"Did I prepare them well enough? We are all in it together. We are a big group of players and management.
"As a coach the first thing you do is look at yourself and ask what did I get wrong? Is there anything I could have done better or is there anything I can change.
"Defence comes down to a lot of attitude. I am not going to hide away from that. But there is a technical side and a physical side as well in terms of your body and whether you can repeat at that level.
"Not excuses, we met up 10 days before, we are very limited in what we get across and what we can do in terms of physical preparation. We are hoping the hit-out puts us in a better place."
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While he wouldn't be drawn on selection issues for this weekend beyond the news that Tommy Reffell is unavailable, Jenkins refuted the idea that Wales' dual openside back-row make-up was wrong for the All Blacks clash.
"I don't think it matters too much who you pick at six and seven," he explained, "you still need them to deliver a similar role where they are grafting in a lot of collisions in the middle of the field and working hard. I go back to New Zealand and the way they attacked us there. There was no hiding there whether you're a six or a seven."
Regardless of their breakdown woes, the statistics in Wales' own 22 provided the most frustration for Jenkins. The All Blacks undeniably enjoyed remarkable efficiency in the red-zone, but the fact Wales only conceded one penalty there suggest to Jenkins that his troops didn't put New Zealand under anywhere near enough pressure..
He added that attacking sides are more difficult to stop from close range as the game shifts towards favouring that intent in the 22, but still sounded rueful over just how easy New Zealand found the whitewash over and over again.
"I'm hinting at, again, how much edge have we got in that area? We need to be living on the edge," he said.
"Sometimes you give penalties away when you live on the edge. Granted, I think the game is going a little bit towards the attacking side.
"When teams get in the 22, they want quick ball, quick ball, quick ball. How can we stop that?
"I'm not encouraging the boys to give penalties away, but one penalty and seven tries away - is that balance right for us?
"Say we gave two 50/50 penalties away but we're flying into a ruck and putting pressure on the opposition, I won't pull someone up for that.
"Especially close to the line, the way the game is being refereed now, once teams get close to the line, it's very hard to get out.
"You can hold them up over the line for a goalline dropout. But attacking teams are getting so low and once you're a metre or two from the line, it's very hard to get out."
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