By Bruce Pope BBC Sport

Wales arrived home on Monday still licking the wounds inflicted in the record defeat to New Zealand.

The 55-3 hammering in Hamilton was so comprehensive that Wales coach Steve Hansen was unable to trot out his usual mantra of a positive performance, never mind the result.

The statistics were shocking, as the predicted 'Black-lash' resulted in New Zealand bossing 70% of possession and territory.

The All Blacks didn't just have the lion's share of the ball as they laid to rest their England defeat - they had enough to satisfy a whole pride of lions.

Wales couldn't cope with the power of the All Blacks

Some of the Wales players looked like they had been chewed on by big cats, with back-row colleagues Colin Charvis and Martyn Williams most damaged.

Charvis was on the end of a huge, perfectly legal hit by opposite No 8 Jerry Collins, which knocked out the Swansea-Neath player and saw him stretchered off after 20 minutes.

Williams was also forced off the field for running repairs to a nasty facial wound.

Wales were outclassed and the finger of blame was soon pointed at Hansen, with calls for him to cut short his contract after the World Cup rather than carry on till after the 2004 Six Nations.

But is Hansen a good coach?

Several of the New Zealand Super 12 franchises think so, as they have made it clear they would welcome the former Canterbury coach back in a moment.

Wales showed enough against Australia to suggest that, with confidence and courage, they can cause problems for even the best teams.

The fitness levels look much better than a year ago and, given more time, greater bulk and strength would surely follow.

Wales must pick themselves up after the All Black hammering

You might as well blame the players' mams and wives for not feeding their lovelies enough, as blame Hansen for Wales losing the physical battle.

But can the former New Zealand policeman arrest Wales' freefall in time for the World Cup in October?

When Charvis went off it was clear just how much Wales have come to rely on their former skipper to carry the ball.

Williams, Dafydd Jones and Jon Thomas never stopped running, but were all too often driven back by All Black tacklers.

Yet look around the Welsh clubs, or provinces, or however the domestic game now brands itself, and there is no new Scott Quinnell waiting for his country's call.

Perhaps only Neath's Nathan Bonner-Evans deserves a chance, while Michael Owen - like Thomas and Jones - needs to put on at least another stone of muscle.

The five new regional teams have the potential to raise standards, but Hansen knows it will not be a quick fix and he probably won't be around to reap any benefits.

Robert Sidoli continues to impress at lock, while Gareth Llewellyn continues to soldier on.

Again it's the sign of the paucity of Hansen's options that there's no outstanding claim for the 34-year-old's place.

Gethin Jenkins and Gareth Cooper have risen to the occasion

At least there's little complaint about the front row, with Iestyn Thomas and Gethin Jenkins surely cemented as the first choice props.

Jenkins is improving with each match and the Ponty youngster is a real success story of the Hansen regime.

Yet in the backs, Hansen's match-day selections continue to puzzle.

We knew after the Australia match that Tom Shanklin is not a Test wing, so why did Hansen continue to expose him against the All Blacks?

Mark Taylor played poorly at inside centre in both matches, so why wasn't Shanklin allowed a go in his preferred No 12 position?

Maybe it was because Hansen only took one specialist wing on tour - Mark Jones, who performed magnificently.

When Kevin Morgan is fit again he will surely resume at full-back, forcing Rhys Williams back onto the wing.

So why take Llanelli full-back Garan Evans - who never even made it onto the reserves' bench - to the other side of the world and not play him?

At least Jamie Robinson was given a proper outing at No 13, and Hansen now knows the Cardiff player is not ready for Test rugby.

Robinson has always delighted in attack, even claiming Wales' try against the Wallabies, but his defensive deficiencies were exposed.

Skipper Martyn Williams is determined to look on the bright side

Stephen Jones does everything asked of him at fly-half and Gareth Cooper is now surely his preferred partner at half-back.

But there are two glaring weaknesses in Cooper's game, although nothing some good coaching can't improve.

The Pontypridd-Bridgend youngster's kicking game is under par, both in application and in deciding when to put boot to ball.

But most worrying is his inclination to take two steps from the base of scrums and rucks before passing.

Not only does it start Wales' backline crabbing across the field, smothering space for the wings, but it allows defenders to take two 'free' steps closer to their targets.

At least the cupboard is far from bare in the backs, as Gareth Thomas, Iestyn Harris, Sonny Parker and Dafydd James should all be available for the World Cup - if Hansen wants them.

But this summer's Tests against Ireland, England, Romania and Scotland are Hansen's last chance to find a settled starting XV - and halt Wales' nine-game losing streak.