Wales sweating on the fitness of Aaron Wainwright for All Blacks clash

Aaron Wainwright is a doubt for Wales’ Nations Championship clash with New Zealand after picking up an injury against Japan.

Leicester back-rower Wainwright has worn a protective boot since Saturday’s 28-21 win over the Brave Blossoms and did not train on Tuesday.

“He’s walking around in a boot at the minute, but that’s more precautionary,” said Wales assistant coach Dan Lydiate.

“The medical staff are assessing him and working as quickly as they can to turn him around.

“I don’t know if he’ll be available this week, but they’re doing everything in their power to make sure he is.”

The 71-times capped 29-year-old has been a key player for Wales since Steve Tandy took charge in 2025.

Wainwright made several customary storming runs in Wales’ autumn opener, replicating the form he has produced in the Gallagher Prem since leaving Dragons this summer.

Lydiate said: “I don’t know how many Test caps he’s got now, but he’s such a leader in terms of his ball-carrying ability.

“We’ve been lucky that Aaron has been quite robust over many years, given the position he plays.

“You want your best players on the field and a quality player like Aaron is a loss when he’s not available for us, but it gives someone else another chance.

“You never know – we might find the next Aaron Wainwright.”

Tandy’s fourth win in 13 Tests proved a struggle as Wales had to withstand late pressure to deny Japan scoring and leaving Cardiff with a potential draw.

Wales face a far more formidable challenge on Saturday against the All Blacks, who have won the last 34 meetings between the two nations – a run stretching back 73 years.

New Zealand have scored over 50 points in the last three meetings.

Lydiate said: “We’re under no illusions how tough it’s going to be.

“They’re a well-drilled team and might not give you many chances, but when they do, we’ve got to take them.

“The same goes when we’re defending. It’s all right trying to defend 15 or 20 phases once, but you don’t want to be doing it every set, because it takes so much out of you.

“We’re going to need a performance that we all aspire to, not necessarily a perfect performance.”

Former flanker Lydiate played against New Zealand twice in his 72-cap career, losing 37-25 and 34-15 in 2010 and 2014 in what what were closer Cardiff affairs than recent years.

Asked if Wales harboured genuine hopes of beating the All Blacks, Lydiate said: “If you go onto the field with the mindset, ‘As long as we keep it under a certain score,’ you’ve already lost.

“You always have the mindset of going out to win, because if you don’t, you’re dead in the water.

“Don’t get me wrong, I played them twice and never beat them. We haven’t beaten them for however long, but there’s always going to be a first time.

“The boys who take the field on Saturday will be 100 per cent behind getting a result.

“You can’t be conservative. Seize the moment and hopefully take each chance that’s given to us.”