All Blacks: Wales firing all the off-field shots

Former Wales assistant coach Scott Johnson described NZ as two 'poxy little islands in the Pacific Ocean'. Photo / Getty Images

While Wales have done little in recent times to reinvigorate their rivalry with the All Blacks on the field, off the field they are firing all the shots.

Earlier in the week Wales coach Warren Gatland took aim at the team his side hasn't tasted victory against for 56 years, claiming the All Blacks had lost their aura after losing four tests already this year.

"If you lose a few games, it doesn't matter who you are, you become a little bit fallible and that aura just goes away," Gatland said.

Refusing to get involved in a slanging match, All Black assistant coach Wayne Smith labelled Gatland's comment a coaching tactic, something plenty of Welsh coaches have used over the years only to see it blow up in their faces.

Gatland himself is no stranger in attempting to ruffle the All Blacks. Ahead of their test in Cardiff last year, the former Waikato coach suggested New Zealand might battle to come to terms with their first visit to the Millennium Stadium since their disastrous World Cup quarterfinal defeat to France in 2007.

"The last time the All Blacks were here they lost, they're in the same changing rooms as they were last time," he said before suggesting Graham Henry and Steve Hansen might also be distracted by the fact their respective tenures with Wales ended on a low note.

One of the more humorous efforts came from Australian Scott Johnson in 2004, assistant to coach Mike Ruddock, who described New Zealand as a "poxy little island in the Pacific".

"We are not calling them the All Blacks this week. They are New Zealand. New Zealand is a poxy little island in the Pacific Ocean," Johnson joked.

In a later press conference Johnson, wearing a t-shirt which read "Kiwi Target Practice" next to a bullseye, apologised for any offence caused.

"After a conversation that was private and has now been displayed around the world, I do make an apology. I wasn't misquoted, I just got it slightly wrong ... it's actually two islands."

While both Gatland and Johnson's sides failed to overturn the hoodoo, they could point to their words having some impact as the 2004 version lost by a single point, and last year Wales led the All Blacks at halftime before being outrun in the second half.

However, Geoff Evans, manger of the 1995 side, could say no such thing about his bold comments at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa.

Former Wales and Lions lock Evans, in the job for all of a month, claimed his side was "bigger, faster and more skilful" than the All Blacks.

He later demanded the New Zealanders get off the training pitch because their time was up and forced the sides to toss for dressing rooms because one seemed bigger than the other.

Needless to say, the Kiwis were rather pumped when they met at Ellis Park and consigned Wales as the laughing stock of the tournament with a 34-9 victory.

And of course there was the infamous haka-gate incident of 2006 when Wales officials insisted the All Blacks perform the pre-game ritual before anthems, as the All Blacks agreed to in 2004.

This time, however, Henry's side refused. They opted to perform the haka in their dressing room and subsequently went on to destroy Wales 41-3.

Very rarely have the All Blacks responded to Wales' pre-game banter and for the last 56 years have mainly let their results do the talking.

But Wales have been on the receiving end of plenty, particularly from Herald columnist Chris Rattue.

Rattue sparked an outrage across Wales in 2006 when he described the country as the "village idiots of rugby union".

"Okay, I hear the cry that now and then, Wales get real close. Real, real close. Real, real, real close," Rattue wrote.

"And you know what? They still lose. And everyone still blathers on about their singing and their history and blah de blah de blah and how Blethyn someone or Gareth someone else had a really great game because they ran past this bloke or tackled that bloke.

"Let's face it. Wales are rubbish."

And much in the mould of Johnson, Rattue followed it up with an apology one year later after Wales' thrashing at the hands of England.

"This is the appropriate time to offer an apology - to all village idiots out there," he said.

"A fool with a hockey fetish would do a better job than Wales does with its national sport."

However, in recent times Rattue has changed his tune and actually pleaded for Wales to end their decades of misery and beat the All Blacks this weekend.

"I for one will be cheering you (Wales) all the way when the enormous All Black squad descends upon Cardiff."

"If the red dwarfs of world rugby can't beat the All Blacks this time - and you certainly wouldn't bet on them doing it - they never will."

And maybe, with another Kiwi in their corner, Wales might actually do the unthinkable and topple the All Blacks. But then again, maybe not.

- NZ HERALD STAFF