All Blacks: Crisis talks for Welsh

James Hook, left, and Stephen Jones look on at the end of the International Match between Wales and Fiji. Photo / Getty Images

While the All Blacks unwind by playing "recovery games" in Cardiff tomorrow, senior members of the Wales rugby squad face the grim task of restoring prestige after a soul-destroying stalemate with Fiji.

The contrast between the two teams' approaches to the start of test week is stark - New Zealand go into the final leg of their Grand Slam attempt from a position of strength after putting the Irish away 38-18 at Aviva Stadium; Wales are in potential disarray as the post mortem into Sunday's (NZT) 16-16 draw with the Pacific Islanders continues.

New captain Matthew Rees - appointed after predecessor Ryan Jones was axed by Wales' New Zealand-born coach Warren Gatland before the team left their maudlin dressing room inside Millennium Stadium - is driving an honesty session designed to help shamefaced teammates avoid another humiliation against the All Blacks on Sunday (NZT).

Rees and 12 senior members of the Welsh squad - including Jones - will review a performance against Fiji that offers little hope of the proud rugby nation's 57-year losing streak against the All Blacks ending at the weekend.

"Being captain, I thought it was important that we focus on the next game and iron out a few issues," Rees told Wales on Sunday.

"This is the last game of the autumn campaign and it's a big one for us and we need a win big time, there is no better team in the world to do that against than New Zealand."

Rees, who captained Wales during their two previous defeats to the Wallabies and South Africa while Jones was recovering from injury, challenged his players to take responsibility for an inept performance against Fiji while the pressure ramps up on Gatland, who had his contract extended by four years before this month's clashes with southern hemisphere opposition.

"There were a lot of errors in the game and that is down to individuals.

"You cannot blame the coaches for that. We have to hold our hands up and be accountable.

"We have to address the number of errors we made, iron them out and then we can move forward."

Rees, who did not feature against the Fijians, would be among several personnel changes - the crestfallen Jones is also likely to lose his berth on the blindside flank as further punishment for conceding the penalty which enabled Seremaia Baikeinuku to slot the match-tying kick in the final minute.

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards was confident Jones had the character to recover from the lowest point of his international career but indicated Dan Lydiate would wear the No 6 jumper against the All Blacks.

"Dan Lydiate has really stood out in this autumn campaign," he said.

"He made 20 tackles and missed one against Fiji, and he was fantastic against Australia.

"He did a great job on Rocky Elsom in that game and that is one position where we have no guaranteed starters at the moment. We have so much competition in the back row."

Meanwhile, Welsh rugby legends have predictably laid into the current set-up after the Fiji debacle.

Barry John, the British and Irish Lions first five-eighth on the triumphant 1971 tour of New Zealand, wrote: "the thought of what might be in store (against the All Blacks) is quite frightening" in a Wales on Sunday column.

"Yes, we were gallant against South Africa and should have won, but even that defeat was put into a little more perspective yesterday when Scotland actually beat the Springboks."

Brynmor Williams, a halfback on the Lions next trip to New Zealand in 1977, was also pessimistic.

"There's just an aura about them that makes them almost invincible," he said.

"Every one of them is very technically correct and they continue to teach us lessons every time they visit us. They are like a black combine harvester tearing through British rugby whenever they come over here."

The All Blacks had only one fresh injury concerns after maintaining their unbeaten record against Ireland - lock Tom Donnelly's knee injury is almost certain to rule him out of the finale, though Brad Thorn should be back from a hamstring strain.

- NZPA