Rugby: Wales to target midfield minefield

Wales will look to exploit any fragility in the All Blacks' midfield pairing of Sonny Bill Williams (centre) and Conrad Smith (far left). Photo / Getty Images

Pair’s disruptive buildup may not be weakness after all.

When Wales probe for weakness in the All Black team before the test, they will fancy the midfield is where they might get some mileage on Sunday.

That might sound like a misread of what they will be facing: the ludicrously gifted Sonny Bill Williams and the man many would consider the best centre in world rugby, Conrad Smith. These two don't appear on the surface as an All Black weakness.

That probably won't stop Wales from believing otherwise. It's not as if they are going to find a whole load of fertile areas to exploit elsewhere.

Part of their thinking in that regard will be driven by the midfield being their most obvious area of strength.

Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies were the midfield pairing that won the series for the British Lions against Australia last year.

They have a bit of form together and the last time the All Blacks were in Wales in 2012, Davies in particular caused them a few problems.

Roberts is the gainline man: a thumping big brute who can cart the ball up and yet surprise with his vision and dexterity. Davies is a modern day Philippe Sella - deceptively strong and robust but able to cruise at a speed that defenders can't fully appreciate until it is too late.

So much of Wales' attacking plans will depend on Roberts and Davies.

But this week, they will try to convince themselves they have been given a lucky break. Smith has only just returned from New Zealand - having decided to fly home after the English test to attend to unspecified personal issues. It can't have been easy to travel there and back in the space of a week. Emotionally, he could be frail.

As for Williams, he has just become a father for the first time. That's a momentous thing for anyone - a world changer and whether it is any easier or harder to deal with all that from the other side of the world, who would know?

Potentially picking Williams and Smith was a risk but Hansen is one of the most astute judges of where his players are at emotionally and he saw in both the things he needed to see.

"Well, I'm pleased baby arrived earlier in the week," he said. "Usually there is a little bit of sleeplessness with first babies. They can take a little while to get here. Monday night it started and Tuesday morning it came and everything is good. Baby and mum are healthy so what we are seeing in Sonny now is an excited athlete. He is raring to get into the game because he's got something else to play for.

"Conrad is the same, he has sorted out the issues and he is bubbly, squeaky and laughing and really enjoyed being here, having sorted out the issues he had to sort out. "When you are looking at your athletes that's how you want them to be. You want them to be excited and both of them are and it should bode well."

Wales might find that what on paper looks like an All Blacks strength is in reality an All Blacks strength.