Wales players need to address 'brutal situation'

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v South Africa

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 23 November Kick-off: 17:40 GMT

Coverage: Live connected S4C, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, unrecorded substance and commentary connected the BBC Sport website and app

Lock Will Rowlands says players person to judge work for the "brutal situation" Wales are successful arsenic they hole to look satellite champions South Africa connected Saturday.

Wales person mislaid a grounds 11 consecutive internationals which has resulted successful the presumption of caput manager Warren Gatland coming nether scrutiny.

Gatland's broadside person not claimed a Test lucifer triumph since the 2023 World Cup and look losing each lucifer successful the 2024 calendar year.

"We are each precise alert we are the players, ultimately, we are the radical who are playing the crippled and who power whether we triumph oregon lose," said Rowlands.

"You request bully coaching input, enactment staff, you request everything other astir it, but ultimately, the subordinate falls with us.

"We are the ones responsible. Everyone is alert of that. We are the ones who person fto ourselves down, probably, truthful far.

"Gats [Warren Gatland] is simply a precise bully antheral and helium has done a large occupation for Wales. It is simply a brutal concern for everyone to beryllium in."

Racing 92 fastener Rowlands, 33, outlined the passionateness wrong the Wales squad to crook things around.

"It matters a immense magnitude to america to beryllium capable to play for Wales," said Rowlands.

"When you suffer immoderate game, peculiarly erstwhile you consciousness you haven't fixed the champion relationship of yourselves, you consciousness you person fto down yourselves, the nationalist and the full group. It is simply a horrible feeling.

"Sport is simply a rollercoaster, and sometimes determination are much ups than downs. We are successful 1 of the down periods.

"We are the players connected the pitch, guys who are pulling connected the garment and trying to springiness the champion show to backmost up everyone other - the coach, different players who aren't playing, the enactment staff, the fans and radical who travel to the stadium.

"So, I anticipation successful pugnacious times is erstwhile beardown characters are made. I've got assurance successful the radical that volition beryllium the case."

The Springboks get successful Cardiff aft winning the Rugby Championship and person 10 victories from 12 Tests this twelvemonth underlining a gulf betwixt the teams successful presumption of form.

South Africa person mislaid connected 4 of their erstwhile six Cardiff visits, but overall, it is six wins from the past 7 against Wales.

"We request to permission a show we tin consciousness arrogant of," said Rowlands.

"At the opening of the autumn we talked astir the 3 games and targeting to person astatine slightest 2 wins.

"We haven't delivered connected that, but the past crippled tin beryllium important, effect aside, from the show that leaves a sensation successful everyone's mouth."

The acquisition spread is huge, with South Africa having 963 caps successful their match-day squad compared to Wales' 334.

"I person content if we play good we tin bushed South Africa, but having a bully show volition springiness america thing to physique connected moving forward," said Rowlands.

"They are not unbeatable. They are a fantastic side, and are satellite champions for a reason, but determination are guys successful our squad who person beaten them before."