The fixture that was set up with the Chiefs is defended by Warren Gatland.
He said that the mauling that the team received in the middle of the week will surely benefit the Wales rugby team. There was a question raised by Steve Hansen, the All Blacks coach. He asked as to why the Wales team has taken on such a fixture being in the middle of the international series being played against New Zealand. It has fallen in between the first and second Test matches. As per the Wales coach, the decision to play with the Chiefs was to get the players spruced up for the second Test. The game was held on Tuesday. The team received a hammering from the Chiefs, the score for the game ending at 40-7. Steve Hansen, the All Blacks coach asked why Wales coach had taken such a decision. Gatland insisted that the match was a grueling lesson for the team and he has no regrets about his team playing the match.
While many feel that the players being exposed to such a superior team might have been mentally demotivating for the players, Gatland is of a different mindset. He feels that his players were in a difficult position, whether to attack or to defend and on both fronts they were overpowered, however in the long run such a game is sure to help the Welsh team.
Often, facing a humiliating defeat is good for a team. Even though it might be questionable as to whether the team needed such a game before an important Test series, the coach feels that it will keep them grounded and make them realize where they need to be in order to strengthen their playing skills on the field. It is much more than simply winning the next match but will help the players to move to a more competent level in general.