Lauren Salter: Welsh Rugby Commentator previews the clash between the All Blacks and Wales

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Pine from Newstalk ZB.

Jason Pine (0:06)

Wales, Cardiff, 10 past 3 tomorrow morning New Zealand time. Full commentary, of course, here on Newstalk ZB with Elliot Smith, a fixture steeped in history, although Wales haven't beaten New Zealand since 1953 The last time the two teams met was a year ago, also in Cardiff.

SPEAKER_3 (0:25)

And the curtain comes down on season 2025 for the All Blacks. No grand slam, 3 losses, 10 wins.

Final score, 52-26 in Cardiff.

Jason Pine (0:40)

Yeah, the Welsh are looking to make a statement in front of their home supporters again, but up against it as far as history is concerned. Dave Rennie's All Blacks arrived with a bit of momentum after their win over Scotland last week. A great pleasure to welcome in Welsh rugby presenter, journalist and pitch side reporter Lauren Salter. Lauren, great to have you with us across New Zealand. Let's start with the mood in Welsh rugby. How much optimism is there or not around the national team right now?

Lauren Salter (1:09)

Yeah, I can tell you 1953 is a year that I'm never going to forget. We mentioned it so much, it's etched into the mind, you know, likelihood of a 35th straight loss to New Zealand tomorrow, as we mentioned a few times when we're going into our 74th year.

There have been much stronger Wales teams that have found it very difficult to compete with this All Black side. And on paper, this is one of the weakest. So there's not a huge amount of optimism, I think in terms of, you know, win, no win to be honest, outside of that Wales squad and Wales management team, are expecting a win tomorrow. I think an improvement from last week is a really underwhelming performance against Japan. I think, generally, the Welsh public were expecting a statement win last week. And a couple of reasons for that. One is individually, a lot of these players are playing very well in the English Premiership at the minute. And secondly, they beat Japan last year, and we're 12 months on now under Steve Tandy, his tenure. So I think we were expecting more as a nation. Tomorrow is about righting some of those wrongs. And maybe to a degree replicating the sort of performance we saw for 50, 60 minutes last year against New Zealand, where Wales did manage to score four tries that day.

Jason Pine (2:33)

Steve Tandy has made four changes from the side that played Japan or the starting side from last week, Tane Basham back into the starting side at number eight, Adam Beard into the second row. What do you make of the team that Steve Tandy has named for this one?

Lauren Salter (2:47)

Yeah, his hand has been forced in that back row. I mean, Aaron Wainwright and Tolupi Falachow have started over 80% of games for Wales at eight in the last six years. We haven't seen many of the players gain opportunity at eight. Tane Basham does tomorrow, and he's an X factor player for Wales. I think sometimes in Wales, we've got a habit of concentrating on what players can't do rather than what they can. And Tane Basham has been one of Wales' best ball carriers for a few years. He's had a few player of the match performances for Cardiff this year. And James Botham then comes in alongside him at six. That gives Wales another option in the lineout, an area they struggled with last week. They have been kind of notching up over 90% success rate at the lineout this year, particularly in the summer. It was down in the sixties against Japan. So they're obviously looking to rectify that area. Adam Beard also comes in at lock. He played 80 minutes for Montpellier last week. And then one change in the back three, which I think Gabriel Himmelweb comes in for Josh Adams, one of the most experienced wingers in the squad. I think it's a matter of Steve Sandie getting to know a bit more about his players. There is a bit of strength in depth on the wing.

Adams and Louis Three-Salmet were two of Wales' brightsparks last week. They actually beat more defenders and made more line breaks in one game than they did in three during the summer. So that was one positive. Blair Murray, you know, Kiwi fans will know a bit about him at fullback. Who is also, I think what Wales have at the minute, players capable like Murray, like Three-Salmet of individual moments of brilliance, but they're not quite clicking as a unit in attack yet and in the time there.