New-look NZ still powerful says Gatland
New Zealand will start a new era when they face the Welsh in a three-Test series in June. They will be without Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock, but Gatland said there was still 'real quality' in the squad selected.
"If that's perceived as weakness take it how you like, but there is never any weak All Black team as far as I'm concerned," Gatland, a former All Black himself, told media in Auckland on Friday.
"What they achieved in winning their second World Cup in a row is pretty exceptional but what I admired about them was that they never panicked.
"If you look at a lot of those games they were either behind at half-time or with 10-15 minutes to go and that experience and belief in their structure and systems, got them across the line," he said.
"We felt the brunt of that a couple of years ago when we led them with about 69 minutes on the clock and they scored a couple of tries in the last 10 minutes to win.
"That's probably the level they've gone to in terms of they've not panicked, trusted themselves and trusted they're going to get across the line.
"That often comes with a lot of players being together a long time."
According to many pundits, Wales have no chance
Gatland said it was going to be tough for Wales, but they were not in New Zealand 'just to make up the numbers'.
"And we're not here to start the rebuilding phase of New Zealand rugby either, after a lot of experienced players going," he said.
"We have got some experience in our side and some players that have been playing in France and have come back to give us that experience, in Jonathan Davies and Luke Charteris."
Source: allblacks.com
