Wales can 'send South Africa packing' - Gwyn Jones
INTERNATIONAL TEST - WALES v SOUTH AFRICA Venue: Millennium Stadium Date: Saturday, 5 June Kick-off: 1430 BST Coverage: Exclusively live on BBC TWO Wales & online, full commentary on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru & online, score updates on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sport website
Wales have beaten South Africa just once in 104 years and 23 Tests
Wales can see off world champions South Africa "with their tails between their legs" in Saturday's Test in Cardiff, according to former captain Gwyn Jones.
Wales have only beaten the mighty Springboks once in 104 years and 23 Tests, 29-19 in the Millennium Stadium's opening game in June 1999.
But Jones has backed Wales to overcome a weakened Springboks side.
"This is our chance to do it and we should send them packing with their tails between their legs," said Jones.
The former flanker's views were backed by another former Wales captain, Robert Jones, and the confidence is also bouncing out of the current Wales camp.
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"It's an awesome opportunity for us to beat South Africa," said Jamie Roberts, who will line up in the centre alongside James Hook on Saturday.
"If you look back over the last couple of years this is probably our best chance and hopefully we'll take it."
Wales have been boosted by the recent success of the Blues and Ospreys, who make up the majority of coach Warren Gatland's squad for the South Africa game and the two-Test tour of New Zealand that follows.
"Confidence is paramount, the Blues boys are bouncing about the place," said Roberts, part of the Blues team that won the Amlin Challenge Cup last month the week before the Ospreys claimed the Magners League title.
[Wales] have every chance of winning and I expect them to... it's the preparation time
Former Wales captain Robert Jones
"It makes a big difference if you're playing well for your club, it comes into this [Test] environment."
Former British and Irish Lions scrum-half Robert Jones says the confidence will be important, allied to South Africa's lack of preparation, the Boks in their first week of international camp after the end of the Super 14 season last weekend.
"Confidence is massive, if you believe in yourself and get momentum going into any game that's the biggest thing of all," Jones told BBC Wales' Scrum V rugby programme.
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"Ability is part and parcel of it, but the extra confidence any confident team that has won games is a dangerous animal.
"The majority of the Welsh squad is made up of Ospreys and Blues players, Gatland has got a great player base to work with.
"Wales have got a very good chance of winning - it's the preparation time.
"South Africa's squad [for this game] won't have had a lot of preparation time or playing time together, while Wales have been together as a squad for, realistically, three or four years.
"They have every chance of winning and I expect them to."
If Wales have got any aspirations to do anything at the World Cup then these are the sort of games we should be able to despatch easily
Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones
Gwyn Jones was even more bullish on Wales' hopes of claiming just a third win over one of the Tri Nations superpowers in this century.
"The majority of the Welsh side are coming from success and will be full of confidence," he told Scrum V.
"We've got to win. It's a South Africa team in name, but we know it's not the best South Africa team they could put out on the field.
"Their first 15 is the best in the world at the moment - this side is not.
"We've got every chance of beating them... We should be ruthless and put them away.
"We've got the players to do it and we're confident.
"If Wales have got any aspirations to do anything at the World Cup then these are the sort of games we should be able to despatch easily."
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