Wales captain Sam Warburton says he can’t wait to test himself against the physical South African pack in less than two weeks time at the Millennium Stadium.
Warren Gatland’s men face the Springboks on November 9 in what will be their first meeting since the 2011 World Cup and it is sure to be a true battle between two of the game’s form sides.
After winning this year’s Six Nations, Warburton and a number of his colleagues go into the Autumn Internationals on the back of a successful British & Lions series in Australia, while the Boks have also impressed in 2013, coming home second in the Rugby Championship.
Wales also face Tonga, Argentina and Australia in the coming weeks, allowing Gatland to rotate his squad as he looks to build a core group ahead of the 2015 World Cup.
For Springboks boss Henyeke Meyer and his men this match is the standout fixture and Warburton is hoping the South Africans bring their traditionally physical game to the Millennium Stadium as he feels it will bring the best out of both him and his team.
“The last time I played South Africa was in the World Cup and I thought we did pretty well there as a back row unit,” he told the WRU’s official site. “That game was myself, Dan (Lydiate) and Toby (Faletau). We don’t know what the trio will be but we did well that time. For the three guys who are picked, there’s no reason why they can’t replicate that performance.
“It’s a balancing act in the back row but a more physical game suits someone like myself so I’d be happy if the game went down that route.”
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