By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Defiant Wales coach Warren Gatland is adamant if his side can eliminate the small errors in their game then they can push the All Blacks to their absolute limits in the third test in Dunedin next Saturday.
The All Blacks clinched their three-match series with a 36-22 victory in the second game in Wellington on Saturday, though Gatland said he felt his side had made significant strides forward between the first and second test.
The world champions won the first test 39-21 at Eden Park.
"We felt as a team we would get better the more time we spent together. For me the big stat is we went from 41 per cent territory and possession last week to 58 per cent (in the second test)," Gatland told reporters after the game in Wellington.
"That's a massive number for us against the All Blacks, we've never done that before.
"Knowing that if we go out there with that same possession and territory and continue to play rugby, take our opportunities and tighten up our defence then hopefully it goes down to the wire."
Gatland said he felt his side had been right in the game in Wellington, with a late first-half try to Alun Wyn Jones locking the score at 10-10 at the break.
The All Blacks, however, kicked away in the second half, blowing out to a 36-10 lead before Gatland's side scored two tries in the final six minutes to narrow the deficit.
The former All Blacks hooker felt that Steve Hansen's side had capitalised on the Welsh turnovers and errors in defence to rack up such a big lead and it was therefore not going to need a major overhaul to eliminate those in Dunedin.
"It was just small key moments and... at the very highest level they're a little bit better than us at that at the moment," Gatland said.
"The players, speaking to them they're already aware that in the same situation next week they'll do it different because they have learned from (this) week."
Gatland, who is attempting to stamp a more expansive game on the national side, added that despite losing the series and continuing a 63-year losing streak to the All Blacks there would be positives from the tour.
"The big thing for us is to continue to compete against the best team in the world and we want to learn from that experiences," he said.
"You only get better when you play the best ... and we will learn a huge amount from this series.
"You can't coach experience."