Welsh work well in progress

As Wales head home they do so still without a win on South African soil, having lost the Test series two-nil, but it's not as bad as it sounds.

As Wales head home they do so still without a win on South African soil, having lost the Test series two-nil, but it's not as bad as it sounds.

Ryan Jones, upon arriving in Cape Town, was quick to remind us that South Africa is the toughest place in the world to play Test rugby – although I'm sure there are a few New Zealanders who may have something to say about that. And if Wales ever doubted the magnitude of the challenge they faced they were made painfully aware in the opening Test.

Warren Gatland labelled his side an embarrassment after the Bloemfontein shambles, and rightly so. That they were able to restore pride in the second Test, despite defeat, is a testament to the self belief and 'never say die' attitude Gatland and Shaun Edwards have instilled in them.

The fact still remains that Wales were not good enough, and there is plenty of work to do if they are to achieve Gatland's goal – to compete, and beat, the southern hemisphere teams on a regular basis. It is right up there as far as tough targets go, but it is about time Wales started thinking big: enough of this small-minded Welsh mentality I say.

In order to raise the bar, several areas need to be addressed. It's glaringly obvious Wales do not have the strength in depth of the likes of New Zealand and South Africa, and that is a problem that needs rectifying.

There are a select few positions, when everyone is fit, that are well-covered, but elsewhere if the first choice player is injured he is being replaced by somebody who is not up to scratch. Nowhere was that more evident than at openside flanker, especially in the first Test.

Dafydd Jones, whilst a good regional player, does not cut the mustard at this level. He was shown up in the opening Test and was rightly dropped for the second. Granted he was playing out of position, but that is no excuse for his inept efforts and I will be surprised if he wins another Test cap.

Gatland should make it a priority to find a suitable replacement for Martyn Williams, as next time he retires it will be for good. Wales are a different team without him and can be exposed, as was the case in the first Test, without a recognised seven in their ranks. It is only when he doesn't play that you appreciate the full value of Williams.

It is a double-edged sword for Gatland as he wants to beat the top three southern hemisphere sides, which will require a full strength team, yet he wants to develop players to create depth in the squad. He will need to be clever in that sense then, drafting in certain new players whilst keeping the balance in his side.

One player worth looking at again is Jamie Roberts. He was a little shaky in the first Test, then again he was not alone on that front, but came out of the second Test with rave reviews. It's never easy to play out of position, least of all against a player of Jean de Villiers' ability, so to emerge with credit is no mean feat.

Again the question is: where does Gatland accommodate Roberts, as he has the likes of Lee Byrne (full-back) and Gavin Henson (inside centre) waiting to come back into the side. The key is to ensure Roberts keeps developing so that when needed he is at an acceptable level for Test rugby, otherwise his inclusion will weaken the side.

Both Gareth Cooper and Warren Fury impressed at times, although neither will be featuring anytime soon as Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel will be back in contention come November. The same can be said for Richard Hibbard at hooker who is certainly a name for the future having impressed with his physicality.

What many people forget, and again this has been the Welsh mentality for too long, is that it is the result that matters, not just the performance. Yes, the second Test was a considerable improvement, but it was still not good enough. Wales need to be playing for eighty minutes, then and only then will they be able to realistically challenge the likes of South Africa.

Wales will look to the November internationals now, but not without taking on board valuable lessons learnt in the toughest of environments. The coaches earned the respect of their South African counterparts, but the players still have a little way to go and will need to prove themselves in Cardiff come November.

But with a new mental toughness to go with their ever-improving rugby Wales are heading in the right direction.

By Marcus Leach