New Zealand have punished mistakes from England and France in recent weeks by scoring long-range tries. Marshall says Wales must take the game to the All Blacks by attacking them with pace and purpose.
The Ospreys scrum half said: “This will be New Zealand’s sternest test on the tour against a balanced Welsh side. They need to hit the All Blacks defence with quick ball, no one else has had the whole New Zealand team under real pressure and back-pedalling on this tour so far.
“The Welsh have got to be prepared to try to break the All Blacks defence quickly and not be afraid to play against them. That is their best chance of a win. They will test the All Blacks where no one else has before, because they have had a continuity in selection and they know where they are going. The Welsh backline is their main strength, they have some genuine pace.
“Guys like Sonny Parker and Tom Shanklin are big units, but they are deceptively quick and are capable of footing it with New Zealand, who have plenty of gas. You can’t go out to try and stop them; England had a go at throwing the ball around but made mistakes and New Zealand showed they are devastating with turned-over ball.”
Marshall said the notoriously heavy Millennium Stadium pitch will act as a leveller; it is likely to hinder the pacey All Blacks backs and will help Wales match New Zealand at scrum time.
Marshall commented: “The pitch will be a leveller, it is sticky and pretty heavy, it’ll slow New Zealand’s game down. It will effect the All Blacks scrum which has been very impressive and they have done a lot of work on it. It has put a lot of pressure on teams in the last three games.
“I know quite a few of the Welsh pack who play for the Ospreys, they are good scrummagers and will match the All Blacks, but the pitch will help the Welsh cause.”
Marshall believes the biggest problem Wales will face is the expert All Blacks back row trio of Richie McCaw, Jerry Collins and Rodney So’oialo, who have few peers when it comes to stopping sides winning quick ball to take on New Zealand’s defence.
Marshall added: “The All Blacks’ loose forwards are an absolute nuisance around the field. They are physical, they impose their presence and give attacking teams so little time to make decisions.
“The attacking teams try to be positive but come up against the All Blacks’ loose forwards hitting rucks and slowing the ball down, so the attacking backs receive the ball on the back foot.”
