There is only one thing worse in rugby than leaving New Zealand with a diminished sense of self-respect, and that is leaving in the knowledge that a return trip is just around the corner. The Independent's Chris Hewett reports from Hamilton.
"The next time Wales play in this city will be in 15 months, when they take on Samoa in the second match of their 2011 World Cup campaign, and they will find themselves here again at the end of the pool stage, against Fiji. The Welsh have an unfortunate habit of losing to Pacific Islands teams at global tournaments so the more reconnaissance they can do on this trip, the better.
"Many people expect next year's competition to signal the end of Warren Gatland's tenure as national coach, so the former All Black hooker's chances of beating a major southern hemisphere nation on their own turf are fast disappearing. This morning's game against his own countrymen is not obviously a golden opportunity, given the hiding dished out to the tourists in Dunedin a week ago, but a fully competitive performance will at least raise Gatland's spirits after the frustrations of the last two seasons."
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