Welsh happy for significant Kiwi connections

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Veteran Welsh back Tom Shanklin says the UK principality has a lot to thank the influence of high-profile New Zealand recruits for, including current All Black forwards coach Steve Hansen.

Both Hansen and All Black head coach Graham Henry have had stints coaching Wales.

The New Zealand influence continues with their current Kiwi head coach Warren Gatland.

And their four regional clubs are also stacked with Kiwi playing talent.

Former NZRU staffer Andrew Hore is also the high performance manager at the Ospreys, who have made a move to hire both Hansen and All Black backs coach Wayne Smith.

Hore has also previously been in the employment of the Welsh Rugby Union.

And as Wales prepare to face the All Blacks, Shanklin said the impact made by the Kiwi imports, both past and present, couldn't be overlooked.

"There's probably a handful of players still in the squad who played under Steve," Shanklin said.

"He was a great coach for us and a great guy.

"He was massively important to Welsh rugby and what's going on now. The team he brought with him, the likes of Andrew Hore and Scott Johnson, they transformed Welsh rugby.

"It was slightly amateurish before they arrived. But they introduced the professionalism that has ensured we are where we are today.

"A lot of what we have achieved recently can be traced back to Hansen's regime. A lot of the work he put in contributed to the Grand Slam in 2005 as well."

Hansen left shortly after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, where he came close to coaching Wales to a rare win over the All Blacks.

Shanklin said there were similarities between Hansen and Gatland which were hard to miss as a player in the national set-up.

"It was the whole professionalism that typified our training under Steve," he said.

"He got us fitter, working harder in the gym and with a better attitude.

"Now we've carried that on under Warren. It just gets tougher and you have to push yourself harder every day.

"There are definitely parallels between the two regimes. They are very similar.

"All the Kiwis that come over just seem to eat, breath and sleep with a winning mentality. And they try to drive that into us.

"It's the winning mentality that sets the southern hemisphere teams apart right now. But hopefully it will rub off on us soon.

"We are Six Nations champions after all. We have come a long way and there is big potential in this squad.

"Man for man we can match them. They are human just like us."

Gatland spoke earlier this week about while proud of his strong New Zealand connections, he doubted there was anyone else in the Welsh camp who was as determined as he was to win Sunday's clash.

And Gatland has also come in for further praise from Welsh fullback Lee Byrne, saying the Kiwi coach had given him the belief he needed to shine in the international arena.

"The new coaches have given me the confidence and really made me believe in myself," Byrne said.

"When Warren arrived, he said he didn't know anything about me, but that he would go on my performances.

"And if it wasn't for him, then I probably wouldn't be playing international rugby."

Meanwhile, All Black first-five Daniel Carter said he was under no illusion that Sunday's test would be the toughest the All Blacks had faced in the UK leg of their season-ending tour.

The All Blacks have already dispatched Scotland and Ireland as they chase a third-ever Grand Slam.

"It's probably going to be the toughest game on this tour," he said.

"I rate Wales very highly. They were the form side in the Six Nations and they obviously took that title.

"They played great rugby in that tournament and were full of confidence. I thought they were unlucky to go down to South Africa a couple of weeks ago, which they would have been disheartened by because they had their opportunities.

"We are very wary of the talent and experience this Welsh side has, so we are really focused.

"We have prepared well for this match and we are going to have to be at the top of our game if we are going to win."

Wales: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Leigh Halfpenny, 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Gareth Cooper, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Ryan Jones (c), 5 Ian Evans, 4 Alun-Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Gethin Jenkins. Reserves: Richard Hibbard, John Yapp, Luke Charteris, Dafydd Jones, Dwayne Peel, James Hook/Dan Biggar, Andrew Bishop.

All Blacks: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Hikawera Elliot, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.