Rugby: A long season but Wales still hungry for win

Wales assistant coach Neil Jenkins.
Wales assistant coach Neil Jenkins.
It may be heading into the 54th week of the season but Wales is still eagerly hunting for that elusive win against the All Blacks tonight.

It will be the last game of a season which started in the middle of last year but assistant coach Neil Jenkins said yesterday the side did not have its mind on going back home.

"It's been a long year for the guys, there is no doubting that. But we have got a big test match starting tomorrow night which is the most important thing for starters,'' he said.

"We want to turn up, we want to play and we want to win.''

Jenkins said the majority of the side would get a break starting when they returned home next week and it had been a productive season.

"We have learnt a hell of a lot about ourselves. We had the pre-season before the World Cup and then Six Nations and then this tour.

"It has been a tough, a lot of tough test matches, a lot of good test matches and I'm sure once the final whistle goes tomorrow then the boys will enjoy a rest.''

Jenkins admitted last year's World Cup, where Wales lost to South Africa in the quarterfinals, was a distant memory.

"It feels a real long time ago. I think we started training in the 15th of June last year in Cardiff. I don't know how many weeks that is but it is tough on the players. But it is the modern day game and they have got to get on with it.''

The key to a historic Welsh victory tonight was pretty obvious, he said.

"We have had two tough matches and we have had 15 minutes both times when they have gone away from us.

"They are world champions and they know how to win.

"They keep winning and they open up that scoreboard quite quickly.

"We have said for the last two weeks we have to play for the full 80. If we can do that we can give ourselves a chance.''

"It is about playing consistently from the word go to the last minute. You can't afford to switch off for any minute. Otherwise they will exploit you and they will score. It is just concentration from the first to the last.''

Jenkins said the stadium looked a hard and fast track and should make the game even faster than last week in Wellington.

The Wales football team also has a big game this weekend, taking on Northern Ireland in a knockout game of the round of 16 at the Euros, in France, at 4am tomorrow (NZ time).

Jenkins said the side did not yet have a plan to watch the football game but were right behind the Wales side.

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