Autumn fall guys

If we are feeling a little vulnerable and insecure after five consecutive Test defeats, just put yourself in the boots of the Welsh Grand Slam squad for a brief moment.

Wales can be a very claustrophobic place for an under-performing rugby side and right now, after that comprehensive defeat by Samoa on Friday night, the Welsh players are getting it in the ear from all angles. In the midst of yet another crisis, just about the last team you would want to face is New Zealand.

But is it ever any different over there? It always appears as if the public perception of their national team oscillates somewhere between brilliant and brutal in the twinkle of an eye, facilitated in many respects by some incredible variances in the level of their performance.