Heroic failures will not wash with Welsh

Adam Jones believes heroic failure is no longer acceptable for Wales when they tackle giants of the game such as defending world champions South Africa.

And the Ospreys prop has hailed Wales coach Warren Gatland’s work towards breaking down any mental barriers that might have existed against the southern hemisphere heavyweights.

Wales go into Sunday’s World Cup showdown with the Springboks after suffering three successive narrow defeats against them at the Millennium Stadium.

Although South Africa took three wins, their total aggregate victory margin was just 12 points, and Wales were left rueing the fact they squandered big leads in two of those Tests.

“We’ve been disappointed a few times we’ve played against them, especially in Cardiff. We pushed them hard,” recalled 70 times-capped tighthead Jones. “When I first started playing, if we got within four or five points of South Africa, the champagne would be going in the changing room and we would be chuffed to bits. Not so much any more, we are disappointed.

“‘Gats’ has installed a mentality that we can beat them. And when we do, I think we will push on a bit. It is something he has pushed into us.”