VIDEO: Wales ready to go toe-to-toe with Bok 'monsters'
Wales, coming off a discouraging loss to Argentina and on the back of a monstrous round-trip to South America, arrived in Durban confident they could go toe-to-toe with the world champion Springboks.
Last Saturday’s defeat to Argentina in San Juan has brought the mood down a little following their opening Nations Championship victory over Fiji.
However, things will get a whole lot tougher when they take on South Africa at Kings Park in Durban this weekend.
The last time Wales took on the Boks, they were beaten 73-0 in Cardiff in November.
Wales, who has traditionally struggled heavily when touring South Africa, achieved their only historic victory in the country via a tight 13-12 win in Bloemfontein in July 2022.
Wales forwards coach Danny Wilson said they have taken some ‘steps forward’, having snapped a frustrating 15-game Six Nations championship drought in 2026 with a 31-17 victory against Italy in Cardiff, then followed wins over the Barbarians (33-31) in a non-cap international and Fiji (39-24).
That raised hopes of a revival.
However, last week’s 21-35 loss to Argentina has left the team ‘disappointed’ and determined to avoid another run like the 18-match international losing streak, stretching from the 2023 World Cup until July 2025.
(WATCH as Wales forwards coach Danny Wilson reveals what he expects from South Africa in the Shark Tank at the weekend…..)
“Our expectations are going up,” Wilson said in a media briefing ahead of the Round Three Nations Championship face-off with the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.
Their set pieces have gone well so far this trip, but against the monstrous Springbok pack, that aspect of their game will be tested.
“Our scrums and line-outs have gone well, but this weekend is a very different challenge,” the forwards coach said.
“They have the best set piece in the world,” he said, adding: “We are facing a real challenge and one which we are looking forward to.”
Wilson said it is a “great opportunity” to play the back-to-back World Cup champions in their own backyard.
“It is a once-off against a team you want to pitch yourself against.
“It is a huge challenge, physically, right across the park.
“You have to front up to the physicality South Africa has shown time and time again.
“That [physicality] is where they get their dominance from.
“We are fully aware of that challenge, and we have to be better than what we were [against Argentina] last weekend.”
He added that they will have to be ‘pretty clever’ with their line-out plays against a very formidable Bok line-out.
“They have some unbelievable athletes; they are very effective.
“It is a challenge you have to be aware of.”
The Welsh assistant coach was also ‘impressed’ with the depth Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has built, which allows him to move and rotate players.
While he was happy with his team’s starts so far, the big problem has been conceding points soon after scoring.
“The test in playing South Africa, first and foremost, is a physical one.
“Being able to go toe-to-toe and fire shots in terms of how we want to play is important for us.
“We have built and progressed game on game, but then fell off a little bit at the weekend [against Argentina].
“To understand our game model and grow our game model, there is no better test than being away from home against South Africa.”
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