Dragons back row tyro Ross Moriarty is happy with the direction Wales are heading in leading up to the World Cup in Japan.
After their 13-6 victory over England, Wales are spending this week training in Turkey where temperatures are touching 40 degrees.
Next up are home and away meetings with Ireland on their return.
“The warm-up games are Test matches and you could see that against England with the way both teams performed,” said Moriarty.
“At Twickenham we weren’t quite at the races in the first 20 minutes, but we knew we did well to keep them try-less in the second half.
“We knew if we kept that physicality up for the whole game we were in with a good shout.
“Training has been very tough on everyone, but we had a good kick up the backside after Twickenham. We knew what needed to be done. As a pack we knew we had to turn up the physicality because nobody likes to be dominated. I think we dominated them this time.”
Meanwhile, Moriarty has hailed the impact of his Dragons team-mate Aaron Wainwright after the 21-year-old’s impressive introduction at Test level with Wales.
Wainwright was a shock call-up to Warren Gatland’s squad last summer and he made his debut against Argentina in June.
Since then the back row has gone on to win a further nine caps and helped Wales to seal Six Nations Grand Slam and Triple Crown glory earlier this year.
In the build-up to next month’s Rugby World Cup Wainwright has impressed in the two warm-up games to date with England.
At Twickenham he made a total of 20 tackle attempts and produced a similar stand-out display in the return fixture which Wales won 13-6.
Wainwright excelled in the first 40 minutes at Principality Stadium before being forced from the field with a slight dead leg and his impact has come as no surprise to Moriarty.
“It’s good to see a Dragons team-mate doing well,” said Moriarty of Wainwright. “It’s great and he has a few caps under his belt now.
“Training together is good and I try to help him with little things and with his work-ons. It’s good to have him in the team.
“He is definitely starting to look a lot more comfortable in Test rugby and that’s what happens because it’s all about experience at this level. He has taken to it well.”
We knew if we kept that physicality up for the whole game we were in with a good shout...
