Wales 'under no illusion' over New Zealand challenge

Wales were beaten 42-22 in their opening WXV match against Canada

Wales lock Abbie Fleming says her side are under "no illusion" of the challenge posed by New Zealand on home soil this weekend.

Wales lost to Canada, while the Black Ferns' 16-match winning streak was agonisingly ended by France.

"We have no doubt it is going to be a great game," said Fleming.

"New Zealand are the World Cup champions so we're under no illusion that it's going to be a very difficult game.

"They come with great experience, their on-field and off-field charisma is amazing... we learn a lot from them.

"Our plan is to get off the line as fast as we can, chop and try and make a nuisance of ourselves at the breakdown."

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The players should be familiar with each other having shared a hotel in Wellington, but Fleming admits their interactions went no further than "a few hellos and how are yous in the lift".

She said discipline is something they have been working on in Dunedin this week, with Wales' penalty count costing them after a promising first half performance against Canada.

"We were probably our own worst enemies at the weekend, our discipline let us down," she said.

"We've had a look at that and plan to correct it for this weekend's game.

"The positives were, I think we worked really well as a team, we had a good trust in each other, our pack specifically, we've got really good connections and we're building.

"Our set piece is still a weapon, which we plan to grow even stronger."

Wales and Canada walk out to just a few hundred fans in Wellington's Sky Stadium

The crowds in Wellington for the opening weekend, notably England against Australia and Wales against Canada, were sparse when considering the crowds at the World Cup in New Zealand just 12 months ago.

Wales had previously played in front of a 19,000 crowd in France in the Women's Six Nations, while selling out Cardiff Arms Park for their fixture against England.

Fleming admitted it was a "little bit disappointing" given that these were international fixtures.

"You would like to see a few more people turn up, but I do think it's important that we remember this is a new tournament and we can only go up from here, so actually it's better to start off with smaller crowds to build up to the bigger crowds," she said.

But Fleming added the lack of spectators did not take away from the occasion and the bigger picture in women's rugby.

"Last weekend against Canada, it was amazing. You're the first person to wear that jersey in this tournament and to think in 10-20 year's time, there's going to be new Welsh players putting that jersey on," she said.

"You look at the Six Nations, that tournament must have started from somewhere, and with the start of the WXV tournament, which in years to come, will be something phenomenal."