Will Rowlands is relishing going toe-to-toe with world champions South Africa in their own backyard.
The Dragons’ lock was a star performer as he played the full 80 minutes in last weekend’s dramatic 32-29 defeat at Loftus Versfeld.
Wales now travel to Bloemfontein for the second Test on Saturday (kick-off 4.05pm) eager to reduce the penalty count as they look to make history.
“It was a game we could have won and definitely should have drawn. That’s why we feel so disappointed,” admitted Rowlands, reflecting on the opening Test match.
“There were some good aspects about our performance, and we put them under some pressure, but there are definitely things for us to work on that ultimately stopped us getting a result.
“They are hard to defend and we have to focus on cutting down the number of penalties we concede to limit their chances. We need to be able to impose our game on them.
“I enjoyed the game and I love playing for Wales,” added the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association ‘Welsh Player of the Year.
“It’s great to be able to challenge the best players in the world, especially the South African locks.
“Line-out wise it was OK, but we just found ourselves defending so many mauls. They weren’t able to kick to the corner so much in the first half.
“Having players in the sin bin made it even more difficult in the second half. We knew what was coming from the Springboks, but it is a whole different kettle of fish trying to deal with it.”
This weekend’s second Test will once again be played at altitude and the Springboks will be defending a run of 11 straight wins over Wales.
Rowlands, though, is simply taking each game as it comes and is not concerned with the record books.
He said: “I don’t really know what to expect in the second Test, but hopefully it is just more of the same. It really was a fantastic atmosphere in Pretoria and I felt very lucky to be a part of it.
“I hope it is more of the same because playing in those big rugby cauldrons filled with passionate fans is ultimately what you want to be doing. I am really enjoying my rugby and long may that continue.
“It would be nice to win the first game on SA soil and make a bit of history, but from my point of view whenever you play a Test match you take it as it comes. You just want to go out there and win.
“You don’t think about the history as the game is going on. We want to get a result because we are playing Test rugby and we are here to win."
There were some good aspects about our performance, and we put them under some pressure, but there are definitely things for us to work on that ultimately stopped us getting a result...
