Josh Adams: Wales are better team since thrashing by Argentina and South Africa

Josh Adams believes Argentina and South Africa will face a far better Wales than they did last year.

Wales conceded a whopping 125 points to the Pumas and Springboks during Steve Tandy’s first campaign in charge in the autumn.

Argentina won 52-28 in Cardiff before South Africa claimed a record 73-0 victory when Wales were deprived of their English and French based players outside the official Test window.

Wales have a chance to avenge those heavy defeats over the next fortnight after heading to the southern hemisphere for rounds two and three of the new Nations Championship competition.

“We feel as a team that we’ve progressed from then,” Cardiff winger Adams said after an opening 39-24 Nations Championship victory over Fiji.

“I’d like to think they’ll see a progression in our game.

“It will certainly be a different test going to San Juan and playing Argentina, and then the world champions in Durban.

“So we’ve got some tests coming up and it will be a good gauge where this team is at the next two weeks, certainly.”

Adams, who notched his 25th Test try against Fiji with an opportunist score, was part of the Wales squad that won a two-Test series in Argentina eight years ago.

The 31-year-old started both games and added to his try collection in the second Test win at Santa Fe.

“I played at San Juan (first Test) back in 2018 and I won,” Adams said ahead of Saturday’s return visit.

“But I know how tough it is and I know how good the Argentinians are at the minute.

“They are a very good team. You talk about Tests – and that’s right up there.”

Beating Fiji came on the back of wins over Italy and Barbarians – the first time Wales have produced three successive victories since the 2023 World Cup.

Adams said: “The boys referred to it (momentum) from the Ireland and Scotland games in the Six Nations and then beating Italy.

“We can’t get hung up on that because that’s a previous campaign when we did well.

“There were loads of good improvements from the Six Nations, which was pleasing. We saw the game out and managed it really well.

“We want to kick on, we’ve been together now for three campaigns.

“There’s more expectation now within our group and we put more pressure on ourselves to achieve things. Our game’s moving on nicely.”