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CARDIFF - Herald columnist Chris Rattue has sparked a war of words ahead of the Welsh test with a column questioning the Wales rugby team.
The buildup to the final test of New Zealand's tour turned into a media slanging match today when the front page of Wales'
biggest paper, the Western Mail, was devoted to a column that appeared in The New Zealand Herald this week slamming the standard of Welsh rugby and their misguided rugby heritage.
In a prime example of the hold rugby has here, the Western Mail took umbrage at the column by Chris Rattue, describing it as a "tirade" and "an extraordinary attack on Wales".
Under the headline "New Zealand newspaper in 'village idiots' blast at Wales" it said the poisonous words would impact on the psyche of both sides ahead of the test at Millennium Stadium.
"It is unlikely to be welcomed by All Blacks coach Graham Henry and his squad, who always treat their hosts with courtesy," the paper said.
"Rattue's insults are certain to enrage people throughout Wales and anger coach Gareth Jenkins and his players."
A member of All Blacks management admitted today that a local woman they knew had been upset by the story.
There was little else on the minds of Welsh journalists today, who pressed assistant All Black coach Wayne Smith to comment on the column.
"I wouldn't take it too seriously if I was the Welsh people," Smith said.
"I don't take it seriously, I think he (Rattue) is stirring for whatever reason.
"It's all just talk. Thirty athletes are going to put it on the track on Saturday and the people who do the talking don't have to go out and play."
Smith said he could "dredge up folders and folders" of stories by Welsh journalist Stephen Jones deriding New Zealand and the All Blacks.
"We take that with a grain of salt. We don't even talk about it."
Smith wasn't sure whether the Welsh would pin the column to the dressing room wall and use it for motivation.
That was a tactic the All Blacks coaches rarely employed, he said.
"We tend to not use emotion much with the team, the team's grown up.
"Obviously the odd time you feel something's needed and there are those sorts of things you can use (as motivation)."
The Western Mail directed readers to a full "onslaught" of The New Zealand Herald's column in its sports section.
In it, Wales are described as "the village idiots of rugby union", whose players "lie down for the cause".
The column was also criticised today in a report in The Times newspaper.
After days of mutual compliments, the pre-test temperature has certainly risen.
Welsh coach Gareth Jenkins reportedly took issue with comments from All Blacks counterpart Graham Henry that Wales were continuing with the attacking philosophy introduced 3-4 years ago by former Welsh mentor Steve Hansen, now a New Zealand assistant coach.
"You didn't invent Welsh rugby's thrilling style of play... we did," Jenkins responded in the Western Mail.
"We have been playing rugby here a hundred years. I would like him to respect that as well.
"Our style, I think, is a Welsh way."
The newspaper highlighted Hansen's record as Welsh coach -- losing of 20 of 31 tests -- noting how the team's record improved when he was succeeded by Six Nations-winning coach Mike Ruddock.
Meanwhile, the temperature was anything but high at All Blacks' practice today, where a number short hailstorms peppered the players but wasn't strong enough to force them from the astroturf training surface, which had turned white.
- NZPA
>>Read what Chris Rattue said about Wales
>>Read how the Welsh took offence
