Rugby legend John Eales says that Wales should forget about beating South Africa at the 2010 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Wales and South Africa are in the same pool for the 2011 Rugby World cup but a second string Springbok team beat Wales at the Millennium Stadium on the weekend.
Eales is a double World cup winner with the Wallabies says that he fears the Springboks will continue their dominance in New Zealand next year.
Wales and South Africa will be joined in their pool by Fiji, Samoa and Namibia making up a tough-looking Pool D.
"Aside from a few notable periods of exception since their return to international rugby in 1992, the Boks have all too often measured pace and strength by the pound but intellect by the ounce," said Eales.
"In their recent years of dominance this has changed - and a lot of that change has been led through the enlightenment of their outside-halves." he told the Western Mail.
"A five-eighth (No 10) is the working brain of a team. They control the tempo of a game.
"If (Aussie great) Stephen Larkham, for example, was in Cape Town, not Canberra, the Boks' renaissance may have begun many years sooner.
"But in Peter Grant and Morne Steyn they now have at least two outstanding options.
"Steyn will rightly get the nod as he combines a finesse and an almost unquenchable thirst for points with a toughness and resilience you don't at first expect.
"Then imagine the luxury of choosing a locking pair out of Victor Matfield, the currently suspended Bakkies Botha, and the multi-skilled giant Andries Becker. They have similar wealth all over the field.
"Clearly, though, the South African on-field renaissance has been led through better coaching practices both on and off the field."
Eales also warned the rest of the world that he couldn't see the Springboks' superiority ending any time soon.
"Unfortunately for the chasing antipodeans (New Zealand and Australia), there is no quick fix to end this run," he said.
"And it's not simply a matter of doing what the Bulls do better than they do it, because they're already pretty much squeezing the lemon.
"Perhaps the only way forward is to approach things differently."
He did however offer Wales a glimmer of hope by suggesting an exciting brand of on-the-move rugby could be the best way to tackle South Africa.
"Their opponents must face reality and change," he said.
"The lesson may be best learned from the Reds, the only team to defeat both Super rugby finalists, Bulls and Stormers, this season.
"They did so by playing a different game.
"At first they had to manage the confrontation but then they harassed the defence by continually running them around and changing the point of attack.
"It's no easy ask, but the team to get there first may then have the advantage for some time."
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