Warren Gatland is glad that his Wales side have been handed a tough pool for the 2011 Rugby World Cup finals.
Grand Slam winners Wales share a tricky Pool D with reigning world champions South Africa and their World Cup bogey teams Fiji and probably Samoa.
"If you come out of that group and make the quarter-finals we'll be pretty well prepared, said Wales coach Gatland.
"In the last World Cup, South Africa won the World Cup thanks to the tough pool they were in."
The Springboks shared a group with England and South Africa claimed the world crown in Paris by beating the English.
Gatland added: "New Zealand played a weakened Scotland team and Italy in the pool stages of last year's World Cup so weren't tested.
The South Africans always get it right at big tournaments and will be desperate to retain their trophy
Wales captain Ryan Jones
"And the first tough game they had against France in the quarter final, they came unstuck."
Wales were the only northern hemisphere side to beat Tri-Nations opposition this autumn, defeating Australia 21-18 in Cardiff on Saturday.
And they could face the Wallabies again in the quarter-finals of the 2011 World Cup - or Wales could meet Ireland in the last eight.
Wales finished third - their best finish - at the first World Cup in 1987 which was the only other finals staged in New Zealand.
And Gatland pointed-out: "Traditionally South Africa have struggled in New Zealand.
"It'll be a pretty intensive group but I'm happy with that."
Wales did avoid the mighty All Black hosts but Gatland's men will face Fiji who embarrassed the Welsh in Nantes 14 months ago to end their World Cup campaign early and end Gareth Jenkins' reign as coach.
Samoa look set to be the Oceania qualifiers and the South Sea Islanders knocked Wales out of the 1991 World Cup and humiliated the Welsh in a 1999 World Cup pool game in Cardiff.
Kiwi Gatland celebrated his one-year anniversary in charge by finding out who his Wales will face in the World Cup in his home-land of New Zealand in three years time.
IRB WORLD RANKINGS - 30 NOV
1 New Zealand
2 South Africa
3 Australia
4 Argentina
5 Wales
Wales have won the Six Nations Championship and claimed a scalp of a southern hemisphere super-power in Gatland's short time in charge, rising from tenth to fifth in the world rankings.
The Welsh ran South Africa close at the Millennium Stadium last month and Gatland said: "We got a lot of confidence from that performance.
"And when you play teams like Fiji and Samoa, you've got to be physical and take them places they don't experience too much.
"They love open rugby so you must be clinical.
"But if we're not good enough to beat teams like Fiji and Samoa, then we won't deserve to go any further."
Captain Ryan Jones admits his Wales team-mates will be pleased to be drawn against Fiji.
"The boys will want to exorcise some demons against Fiji after our World Cup exit last year," said Ospreys back-rower Jones.
"It's a tough group but we're going to come across the tough teams sooner or later so we just got to play winning rugby.
"The gulf between the South Africa and us isn't as big as people say it is but the South Africans always get it right at big tournaments and will be desperate to retain their trophy.
"We're going in right direction so if we keep developing the way we have, we'll be good shape. But there's a lot of rugby to play between then and now."
Winger Shane Williams added: "The teams are getting better and the World Cup group stages are more difficult than ever.
"And they don't come much more difficult than South Africa."
As in 2007, there are four pools of five teams in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, with the top three positions in each pool filled by the 12 pre-qualified teams from the last World Cup.
2011 Rugby World Cup draw:
Pool A - New Zealand, France, Tonga, Americas 1, Asia 1
Pool B - Argentina, England, Scotland, Europe 1, play-off winner
Pool C - Australia, Ireland, Italy, Europe 2, Americas 2
Pool D - South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Oceania 1, Africa 1
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