Wales winger Josh Adams has described the upcoming Nations Championship match against South Africa as the "toughest test" for the team under coach Steve Tandy. The squad is looking for a significant improvement following their opening round defeat to Argentina.
Adams acknowledged that Wales were "slightly off it" in key areas during their match against Argentina, citing issues with first-time tackles, speed around the ruck, and discipline. Despite these shortcomings, Wales managed to stay competitive for much of the game before Argentina pulled away with late scores. "Argentina are a good team when they stay on top of you and if you are not at it in the areas that I have mentioned – and with your discipline – then teams will punish you," Adams stated.
South Africa has started the Nations Championship with victories against England and Scotland. The two nations have a recent history of significant scorelines, including a 73-0 victory for South Africa against Wales in November 2023, although that match was outside World Rugby's Test window, affecting player availability for Wales. However, Wales did secure a historic win on South African soil in 2022, with Adams scoring the decisive try in a 13-12 victory.
The team faces a considerable travel challenge, with a journey of over 5,000 miles crossing five time zones. Adams dismissed the travel as a potential excuse, pointing to Scotland's near-upset of South Africa after making a similar trip. "Every team has to travel," Adams said. "Scotland made the journey and they were in the Test for most of the game. So there'll be no excuses."