WALES have done the hard bit, they've made it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, they have salvaged some pride and they have come through a tension-packed group game against Italy with a victory when it could so easily have gone the other way.

Yet there are those who are predicting humiliation against New Zealand in the final pool match on Sunday and in the quarter-final against England (it's not quite 100 per cent England yet but as good as certain) the following week.

Some are still all gloom and doom, but for once I'm not going to join them.

There were real fears that Wales would not make it against a country like Italy where soccer is king - now that would have been embarrassing, but they came through convincingly enough.

They scored three tries to nil which was another bonus, so why crucify them before a ball is even kicked in anger against the All Blacks or England?

Give them a chance at least. Samoa showed the way with a brave, full-on approach against England, by giving it the gun from the start, by exploding out of the blocks and going for it.

England showed they could be rattled, so maybe, just maybe Wales could do something similar, though I'm not suggesting for one minute they will manage that against the All Blacks.

Their sheer pace and power allied to the firmer grounds and better weather of Australia makes them a daunting prospect for Wales.

But, on the other hand, Wales have made it, the shackles are off so there is no excuse for them holding back, they can go for it. And it's also a chance for the players so far largely ignored to prove a point.

There's a few who have scarcely featured in coach Steve Hansen's plans so far, like Shane Williams, a flair player who many would have liked to see given an opportunity.

Hansen is likely to mix and match this team - Wales do not possess the strength in depth that allows Hansen to throw his bigger guns in against the All Blacks even if he wanted to.

They are going to have to be held back for the England game, so those who have not yet had a chance are sure to feature against the All Blacks, not just Williams - providing he recovers from a bout of 'flu - but players like Jonathan Thomas and Chris Wyatt.

Others who have made just one appearance out of three, like Tom Shanklin and Alix Popham, can expect the call to arms as well.

And some call it will be against New Zealand, who are looking more and more likely to justify my choice in picking them as the World Cup winners before it all started.

The Welsh record is dire against New Zealand, who used to be their traditional enemies, but have streaked so far ahead that's it's long been a one-horse race.

Wales won three of the first four matches between the often bitter rivals, the last time in 1953 since when Wales have lost 15 in a row, a fairly damning statistic.

For a few years there wasn't much in it, like the 6-0 result in 1963 and the 13-12 scoreline in 1978, infamous for the diving incident in the line-out involving Andy Haden and Frank Oliver which resulted in the penalty which Brian McKechnie kicked to give the All Blacks a dramatic late victory.

The game after that was, I remember, a shock to the system when Wales went down 23-3 which at the time was considered a hiding.

That was, however, a mere pinprick, for New Zealand then piled up scores like 49, 52, 54 and, in June this year, a record 55 against Wales.

They simply can't afford a scoreline like that again. For a start it would damage morale after the success against Italy, and it could undo much of the groundwork put in by Hansen, who has said "Judge me on the World Cup" and so far has taken Wales to the quarter-finals. Fair enough

He has been obliging enough so far, he makes no secret of what he's trying to achieve and he wants a proper system in place which will encourage growth not just of this team but the ones that follow.

So let's give Wales credit for what they have achieved so far. They haven't turned the world upside down, but they have won three out of three which is what the aim was before they left home.

Of course, it gets harder from here on in, that's what is meant to happen in a World Cup. But it's not all over yet and though no-one honestly expects Wales to progress any further the players can really grasp the nettle and, if they are to make their exit from the tournament, at least give it a real blast against New Zealand and

England and go down with all guns blazing.

If Wales do that then the public - and maybe even the critics - will be forgiving.