Muliaina dismisses Gatland mind games
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 07:24New Zealand full-back Mils Muliaina has shrugged off suggestions from Wales coach Warren Gatland that the All Blacks are vulnerable and that their aura of invincibility is not what it was.
New Zealand-born Gatland, who coached the Waikato provincial team that included Muliaina, made the comments when he named his Welsh team to take on his countrymen in Cardiff on Saturday.
'You sort of chuckle a little bit at it I suppose because it's Gats and knowing his temperament and what he's preparing his boys for - I'm sure it will be used as motivation for them during the week,' Muliaina told Radio Sport.
'Regardless of what happens during the week and who says what, at the end of the day it just comes down to the game. I have known Gats for a while and I know he likes that sort of stuff. He is entitled to his opinions and the way we have gone this year as well has been disappointing for us.
'But with the All Blacks jersey there is an expectation to win every time you put it on which is probably something they haven't experienced.'
Wales have not won a Test against New Zealand since 1953 - a run that stretches back 20 Tests.
But Gatland believes the self-belief his British and Irish Lions players returned from South Africa with, plus the confidence taken from last year's effort against the All Blacks, where they led with 50 minutes gone before going down 29-9, has given Wales a real hope of ending their 56-year barren spell.
Muliaina is certainly not expecting a New Zealand walkover at the Millennium Stadium.
'We know how tough it is to win here. If you look back to a few years ago we only won by one point,' he said.
'We know we are in for a big one.'
New Zealand coach Graham Henry names his side tomorrow.
