After months of build-up the autumn campaign is upon us.
Wales' opener is a mouthwatering clash with New Zealand on Saturday afternoon. Can Wayne Pivac's exciting looking team finally banish 69 years of hurt?
Our experts predict what will happen.
Mark Orders: A tight call, but long quest for win to continue
The good news for Wales is that the All Blacks are in town after a less than vintage year that has seen them lose a home Test series to Ireland and come out second best on their own soil against Argentina for the first time. They also lost to South Africa.
Consistency, synonymous with the All Blacks for so long, has deserted them at key points. But they were able to rally impressively enough to win the Rugby Championship, along the way putting 40 points on Australia and exacting a 53-3 revenge win over the Pumas.
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So what is to be made of this weekend’s date in Cardiff? Maybe Wales will quietly fancy their chances against a team who have looked like All Blacks in name only at various points over the past 12 months.
That said, the visitors have picked a strong line-up for the date at the Principality Stadium and the hosts would do well to brace themselves for what’s coming. New Zealand are able to field a backline bristling with power and pace and any pack that contains Sam Whitelock and Ardie Savea will have a fair bit going for it.
For Wales to win, they will need to stay in the fight, take whatever chances come their way, defend ferociously and gain an edge at forward. They showed in the first Test against South Africa in the summer they could score tries when spreading the ball, and Wayne Pivac will know what an asset he has out wide in Louis Rees-Zammit.
It is unlikely to be enough for the hosts to hope their goalkickers can get them home. The question for Pivac is whether he dares to engage the tourists in an open game. It would be a bold call if he did.
There may not be much in it and it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that Wales could bank a famous win. But perhaps it’s more likely their long wait for a win over one of the Kiwis will continue. A tight call.
Wales 26-33 New Zealand
Dylan James - Return of world class stars will inspire Wales
It's hard to see any glaring weaknesses in this Wales team. With the return of Leigh Halfpenny, there will be an air of stability in the back line. I think Louis Rees-Zammit and debutant Rio Dyer will feed off this and thrive.
The same goes for Ken Owens, a player of his class and longevity will add to the sense of confidence in what is already a formidable forward pack. A back-row of Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric is exactly who you want dealing with New Zealand at the breakdown.
Despite winning The Rugby Championship just a few weeks ago, New Zealand were far from convincing. Their reputation of invincibility in the rugby world is nowhere near what it used to be, albeit you can write them off. Especially with the abundance of world class talent available.
However, when you've got the mix of recent New Zealand woes, an electric Principality Stadium, plus a strong-looking Wales team, it could be a recipe for success.
History to be made in Cardiff for me.
Wales 30-28 New Zealand
Ben James - Usual script will extinguish any hope
Maybe it's the nature of Test week, but it often feels like you enter into the seven days before the New Zealand with little hope and by the end of it, you've somehow talked yourself into it that this might just be the year.
Why not? New Zealand have lost six of their last 12 Test matches - it would have been seven had Australia not been pinged for time-wasting at the end - and have fallen to new lows in the rankings throughout the year.
Granted, the last time Wales played in Cardiff, they lost to Italy, but since then, they've made history in South Africa this summer.
And it's an exciting team named by Wayne Pivac - one which can get at the key areas of weakness in this All Blacks side. There's pace and vision in the backline to exploit a New Zealand defence that can get a little lazy from ruck to ruck, while the stacked back-row will likely go as hard as Argentina did when they defeated the All Blacks in Christchurch in August.
If Wales get that right and are disciplined with their kicking game, they'll be right in the contest. However, the threat of a couple of quickfire tries around the hour mark and the weight of history - otherwise known as the usual script - will likely leave us waiting at least another year longer.
Wales 18-25 New Zealand
Simon Thomas - Undercooked players will cost Wales
It’s an exciting Welsh team selection with plenty of pace and attacking potential, but you just worry about the number of undercooked players on board in terms of recent game-time.
Moreover, New Zealand have reverted to the bulk of the side that really impressed in a 40-14 thumping of Australia at Auckland’s Eden Park seven weeks ago.
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There’s always the hope that it’s not that team which turns up but rather the one which lost at home to Ireland and Argentina, while Wales’ historic win in Bloemfontein provides hope.
But we have been hoping for a long, long time now without any joy and one suspects the wait will go on.
Sadly.
Wales 14-26 New Zealand
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