Dragons backrower Aaron Wainwright says Wales are “motivated” to end their recent troubles and “end the Autumn on a high” with a win against double-World Champions South Africa.
The ‘Boks come to Cardiff this weekend on the back of successive wins against Scotland and England having also won this summer’s Rugby Championship and the back of successive World Cup wins.
Wainwright however believes that if Wales produce their best they can “beat any team”.
"We've got good senior figures in the group who keep relaying the message that we need to keep believing in ourselves and that on our day we can beat any team,” said Wainwright.
“I think we really need to believe in that going into this week and if we do, then hopefully we'll have a good performance and the win and end the Autumn campaign on a high.”
Wales suffered their second loss of the Autumn against Australia on Sunday with the Wallabies producing an impressive second-half display to win 20-52.
At half-time the score was 13-19 to the visitors after Wainwright’s try and successive penalties from Gareth Anscombe brought them back into the game having been 19-0 down after 22 minutes.
“The last 20 minutes of the first half is something we want to base our game off,” said Wainwright.
“Controlling the game, discipline being good, building momentum and making the scoreboard tick over. Coming in at half time, all the chat was really positive.
“We went away from that in the second half. We take the responsibility of the inaccuracies, the ill-discipline, we're the ones out there and the errors on the pitch put pressure on us.
“But if we model our game on the second half of the first half then the scoreboard won't look as nasty as it did today.”
Wainwright admits that Sunay’s result left the players “sore” from the manner of the result, but believes next week is a great opportunity correct the recent formbook.
"What a chance to put things right next weekend,” said Wainwright.
“Everyone's going to be a little sore from the game we've just had so we need to park that and really focus on how we can go about getting a win next weekend and salvage something from this campaign.”
Acknowledging the undoubted challenge South Africa pose, Wainwright says he and the squad remain driven to end their recent losing run.
"I personally feel motivated, the group are motivated,” said the 27-year-old Newport-born player.
“It is tough but it's why we're here it's what we do, we want to go out there and give the fans something to be excited about and get Welsh rugby back in a positive light out of this hole that we're in.
"We're all in this together, I know we're the ones out there but we're a collective.
“We come into camp in our own little bubble and we're fighting for that win as much as they are, so hopefully we can go out there and give the fans and supporters something to cheer about.
“It's a tough period we're in going into next week what a chance it would be to go out there next week and beat South Africa and end the Autumn on a high.”
I personally feel motivated, the group are motivated. It's why we're here it's what we do, we want to go out there and give the fans something to be excited about and get Welsh rugby back in a positive light...
