Wales feel battle-hardened for South Africa test

This time around, Wales have emerged from the tournament’s so-called pool of death, qualifying as runners-up behind Australia, with host nation England and ever-dangerous Fiji both making early exits. Wales, it seems, have simply run out of bodies for their back line. “We want to be battle-hardened, not battle-weary”. The world’s most capped prop is competing in his fourth World Cup at the age of 34, but has no plans to hang up his worldwide boots if Wales fail to progress.

“The players’ attitude has been exemplary, fantastic”.

‘We’ve been a part of one before and we won that game. “We know what is ahead of us”, McBryde said.

However, three successive victories since have set up Saturday’s quarter-final against Wales at Twickenham.

“Throughout the games there have been more than glimpses”, Howley added.

“Tyler had a slight injury last week, so we’ve got the option of either him or James coming into the centre”.

“It’s about being clinical, having composure and our composure could have been a little bit better in the Australian game”. That has put us on the front foot.

What they must not do is spurn the chances they created in losing 15-6 to Australia, particularly in the narrow-minded approach when they had a two-man advantage and instead of stretching the Wallabies, elected to pound them in contact to no avail. “It is about matching them at the gainline challenge”.

Bryan Habana claims that Jonah Lomu “will never be beaten”, despite equaling the former New Zealand star’s Rugby World Cup try-scoring record. “It’ll be an aerial battle and there won’t be many opportunities out there”. “So we have to have a complete game”.

“We’re just concentrating on this World Cup, the players that were there in 2011 will have learnt from those experiences and will have learned to do better than they did then that helps us a team”.

“We haven’t complained about the injuries, we’re not moaning about it”, said Howley. “But that is his decision, and I will back the coach and the team in whatever is necessary for South Africa to win the World Cup”.

“I think Tyler played really well against Fiji, up against an experienced and physical player, something that we will defend against and attack against at the weekend”.

Leigh Halfpenny, Scott Williams, Rhys Webb, Liam Williams, Hallam Amos and Cory Allen have all been ruled out at various stages, with Ospreys wing Eli Walker the latest player called up on Tuesday, although he will not be available for selection this week after recently shaking off an injury. On the other hand, playing as they are at the moment one cannot escape the feeling that Fourie du Preez’s men are in the sort of fettle that could well topple the Welsh, perhaps as they did in clipping the Eagles’ wings, with the panache of winners of real class.