Games played: 24
Wins : 21 – 87.50%
Most wins in a row : 20
Total points scored : 722
Highest score : 55
Largest winning margin : 52
Average points per game: 30.08
Average points difference per game : 20.71

Gatland (who swears he is not still p*ssy about failing to take Graham Henry’s job from him) claims the ABs have lost their “aura of invincibility”.

I believe he was trying to indicate something similar with his “Oohh dear the last time you were here you lost the French” speech last year & when instead of doing the Haka in change rooms (as they had in 2006) the ABs performed it on the Millennium Stadium pitch for the crowd to enjoy Gatland’s big “throw down” was for his team to glare at the opposition & not walk away … cos yeah – THAT is really scary (although that wild haired blonde fatty does look like he has just wandered off the set of a Welsh “Deliverance” film set). I have to wonder if he was actually surprised when the ABs simply stood their ground & waited – eventually it was ref who stepped up & suggested it was time for some rugger.

The question is does it work ? Well, so far … not so much … for the years in question the scores were 2008 : 9-29 & 2006 : 10-45. Also let’s not forget that Gatland’s motivational ploys against other teams don’t always pay the dividends he seeks either – most notably with Ireland earlier this year where they lost 15-17 … you gotta love the Oirish, like THEY are going to walk away from a fight !

Look, only a fool expects the All Blacks to win every single time they take the pitch, but the faithful do expect the ABs to only lose to a better team which discounts most … except perhaps occasionally one other SH team (who shall remain nameless) & the Frogs who cannot be trusted to send out the same team in two halves of the same game … mentally at least.

I take no particular joy in Wales long & distinguished history of loss to the ABs, but Gatland does deserve a comeuppance. The man left NZ soon after failing to secure the AB Head Coach job, for which he was competing with he likes of Graham Henry & Robbie Deans, & had barely set foot on Welsh soil before he began to spew bilious invective about the team a few short months before he had been dying to coach !

A fair weather Kiwi & a bad sport you are Warren. Fifty Six years pal & on the weekend may it become Fifty Seven – your just desserts … not that I am one to hold a grudge you understand …