WALES can bring an end to a barren near 50-year spell without success against the All Blacks tomorrow, says Wales' New Zealand coach Steve Hansen.
He aims to use his own knowledge of the opposition to produce success for Wales at last, as well as instilling a firm sense of self-belief into his adopted country.
"I know most of the players in the New Zealand team," said Hansen, referring to his time as Canterbury Crusaders coach alongside Robbie Deans, New Zealand's coaching co-ordinator.
"Both sides will have analysed each other fairly well and I think we've got one another sussed out. It all depends who is smart enough," added Hansen.
"But this is the side we think can do the job. The players should believe in themselves because they've made huge strides, there is enough talent for them to go well.
"It'll be huge if we win, but if we perform to the best of our ability and don't win that will tell us something, there will still be some grey areas.
"The Canada game was a great wake-up call and highlighted a couple of things, maybe it was better than winning comfortably."
Wales are in the unusual position of fielding a more experienced line-up than the All Blacks.
But Hansen refuses to use that as a bonus, saying "Inexperience doesn't mean you can't play well.
"It's an All Black team, they don't put out a poor team. But it's an opportunity which we've got to take."
Hansen also refuses to rule out Neil Jenkins, the world's leading points scorer, from future reckoning though he is not in the 22 for tomorrow.
"Neil will still be involved as long as he has the desire and passion to play," said Hansen.
Former Wales hooker Alan Phillips, now team manager, has appealed to the Welsh players to look at the history books going into tomorrow's game.
"It's a golden opportunity for the players to make history," he said. "Wales against New Zealand is tradition, it's an opportunity and it's what we play rugby for, playing against the best.
"In Welsh hearts New Zealand is a bit different, it's history."
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