Wales boss Wayne Pivac was in optimistic mood ahead of his side’s tour of South Africa, whilst recognising the huge task playing the world champions will be.
Coming off the back of a first ever home defeat to Italy, which was the Azzurri’s first victory in the Six Nations since 2015, Wales will be hoping to drastically reverse fortunes as they visit a country they have never beaten on away soil.
And Pivac was quick to recognise the challenge his troops were facing as he discussed their opponents.
“In Test Rugby, you want the ultimate challenge as players and coaches, and this is probably the ultimate challenge with South Africa at altitude and us coming off the back of our Six Nations and where they are at in their game,” he said.
“From our point of view, it is a huge challenge. We are playing the world champions in their own back yard at altitude in the first two Tests in front of their own fans for the first time since they won the World Cup.”
The odds may be stacked against Wales, and Insider Betting Digest’s rugby betting predictions can inform you of the best tips and odds this summer, but Pivac certainly wasn’t writing his troops off.
And the New Zealander, who led Wales to a 2021 Six Nations triumph, has warned the hosts that they will be in for a major test themselves against a side that is much improved from their disappointing Six Nations campaign.
He added: “In international rugby, if you write anyone off you do it at your peril.
“It is a Wales team that turns up on the day that South Africa will have to deal with, and we hope that will be a very good one.
“We are certainly going there with things we want to achieve on the tour. I think we will be a step up from where we were in our last match.”
One piece of news that will give Wales fans, and indeed Pivac himself, a major boost is the fitness of Dan Biggar.
The Northampton Saints fly-half picked up a back injury in his club’s defeat to Leicester in the Premiership play-off semi-final, but appears to be very much on the mend.
“Dan has had a good break and his medical team has done a good job with him,” Pivac said. “The reports to us have been virtually daily from Dan himself.
“He is in good spirits and he will be fine to go. We are very pleased with where the squad is at.”
