Wales head coach Warren Gatland is eager to see the RBS 6 Nations Champions put a marker down against the southern hemisphere sides this autumn.
After leading the British & Irish Lions to their first series success in 16 years this summer, Gatland has returned to the helm of the Welsh side and is looking for a big campaign this November to set his side up for the defence of the RBS 6 Nations title early next year.
Wales won back-to-back titles in March for the first time since 1979 and are looking to become the first side in the tournament’s history to lift the trophy three times in a row.
This autumn sees South Africa, Argentina, Tonga and Australia visit the Millennium Stadium and putting a marker down is key for Gatland.
“At times, we probably haven’t performed as well as we would have liked against some of the southern hemisphere teams,” he said.
“Hopefully, there is enough experience now so that we can make an impact against the southern hemisphere sides over the next couple of years. That’s the task.
“November is also about looking to the future and ensuring we have strength in depth going forward.
“There has to be a little room for development because the biggest tournament for us is the Six Nations. The last thing I want is to win the four games in the autumn and then to go and finish fourth or fifth in the Six Nations.
“If the players can stay fit, keep their form and with some youngsters coming in to put some pressure on, I think we are in a great position at the moment and we believe we can achieve something special for Welsh rugby.
“We think we have achieved a lot in the last few years and gone through some pretty good times. We think we can do better in the next few years as well.”
Wales kick off their Dove Men Series campaign against the Springboks in Cardiff on November 9 and that will be a huge test first up according to Gatland.
“We face a huge game against South Africa in the first game, they will be coming to us after an impressive Rugby Championship campaign,” he added.
“Recent matches between us have been very close and physical and that will be a great test for us to kick-off. All four matches will be a stern test but we are looking forward to the challenge and looking forward to seeing what we can do on this stage.
“It’s an important campaign as we look to test ourselves against some of the very best sides in world. We know we need a good autumn and that’s what we are aiming for.
“We have always thrived on testing ourselves against the best. We will be doing that again in November and it will be ideal preparation going into the Six Nations early next year.”
Wales Dove Men Series 2013 fixtures:
November 9 Wales vs South Africa, 17.30 – Millennium Stadium
November 16 Wales vs Argentina, 14.30 – Millennium Stadium
November 22 Wales vs Tonga, 19.30 – Millennium Stadium
November 30 Wales vs Australia, 17.00 – Millennium Stadium
Tickets are available from www.wru.co.uk/tickets