Wales squad wing Will Harries is hoping to secure a New Zealand double – by returning to the home of the All Blacks with Warren Gatland’s squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Harries is savouring his first international squad tour experience and plans to focus hard on his rugby to try to get selected again.
The Dragons wing said: “Everyone wants to play in a Rugby World Cup and I am no different so I really want to make my mark now in order to be considered for selection next season.
“Right now for me it’s all about enjoying this great experience and making sure I concentrate on the preparation. Training has already been pretty intensive here in New Zealand and in the sessions before we flew out.
“The All Blacks are one of the best rugby teams in the world but we are focused on sticking to our game plan. I am really happy to be part of the squad and all the more senior players have been very welcoming.
“I am very grateful to everyone at the Dragons for helping me achieve this goal and get into the squad. The Dragons have been playing well and that’s been good for me because as a winger I have been getting plenty of ball.
“The forwards have been going really well so I have been benefitting from the good possession the Dragons backs have been getting.”
Harries was speaking as the squad left Auckland to move to Wellington where they will be based for their first game in next year’s Rugby World Cup. Later in the week the squad will move to the South Island and Dunedin to play the All Blacks next Saturday.
Harries added: “It would be fantastic to be capped but I know I just have to train really hard and see what happens. I benefitted from Shane Williams’ unavailability through injury but there are still other very good Welsh wings on this tour.
“Although training has already been intensive I know that this week it will be really full on as we get closer to the Test.”
Meanwhile, Ian Gough, another late call-up to the squad following Sam Warburton’s jaw injury picked up against South Africa on 5 June, warned his side of the strength in depth in New Zealand rugby.
“We’ve got to bridge the gap that exists between Wales and New Zealand and the only way we can do that is by doing well,” said the 63-times capped Ospreys lock.
“The results of the past are definitely a monkey on the back of Wales and it would be so nice to get rid of that. It’s tough because there is no such thing as a weak All Black side so Wales will have to be at their best.”
Speaking after the first full Welsh training session on New Zealand soil he also told of his delight to be back in the Wales squad.
“I was left out of the original line-up, so someone else’s misfortune is my good luck this time,” added Gough.
“It’s a tough squad to get into at the moment so every chance you get is a real bonus. Wales also has a lot of very good lock forwards right now so there is real competition which is great.
“It is that need for competition which encouraged my own move to the Ospreys and that has been good for me. What it means is that if you get selected you know you really must have deserved it on merit.”
He also praised the calibre of the young players who have broken into the Welsh squad for the first time.
Gough explained: “When I was a 21- year-old I was pretty raw about a lot of things but these guys nowadays are coming through with real confidence.
“There is a good mood in this squad and I am really enjoying it. Any time you are involved with Wales is a really special time which has to be appreciated.”
