George North admits it will be "weird" when Wales travel to Australia without Warren Gatland, but insists they can emerge victorious despite the absence of their coach.
Gatland has been sidelined from the tour as he recovers from the injuries he suffered in a fall at his home in New Zealand earlier this month.
Favourite to lead the British & Irish Lions to Australia in 2013, Gatland broke both his heels and Rob Howley has been handed the reins.
The RBS 6 Nations champions face a tough summer with a three-Test series against the Wallabies following on from a Millennium Stadium appointment against the Barbarians.
Gatland and his staff have made it clear that having conquered Europe for the third time in eight seasons, the time has come for Wales to upset the global game's top three sides, starting in Australia in June.
North, the powerful 20-year-old wing, has every confidence Wales can compete with the Wallabies, and is backing Howley to ably fill the void left by Gatland's absence.
"It's obviously bad news for Warren and we hope it's a speedy recovery," said the Scarlets threequarter. "But I am sure Rob will do a good job. It will maybe affect us a little bit with the head coach not out there, but the quality of players we have now and the quality if the coaching staff is very high.
"It will be a bit weird not having him there but I am sure we can cope. We have been guilty in the past of slowing down after a slam but the boys we have here are keen to push on."
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