Wales lost the opening game of their Autumn Nations Series 55-23 to New Zealand last weekend, and it doesn’t get any easier with the Pumas having beaten England at Twickenham last Sunday. But Ospreys second-row Beard insists Wales are using their defeat to the All Blacks as motivation to turn things around tomorrow.
“It was probably the wake-up call we needed, coming off the back of being in club rugby,” admitted British & Irish Lions and Ospreys lock, Beard. “Discipline was one factor and our physicality was another.
“You can’t give that many easy ins in a game or you’ll have 50 points put on you. There have been a lot of honest conversations, a lot of physical training to get us in the right mood for Saturday.
“The boys are looking forward to it and putting in a good performance. We’re disappointed with the New Zealand performance and we’re looking to bounce back.
“If we get stuff right on the pitch, and bring the right physicality and mental edge, I’m sure we’ll be OK.” Beard wants Wales to return to the levels of physicality and performance they scaled in South Africa in the summer when they beat the world champions Springboks in Bloemfontein – the first time Wales had won on South African soil.
The Pumas have already won against New Zealand in Christchurch and England at Twickenham this year and will be hoping to make it a notable hat-trick. They won on their last visit to the Welsh capital, 33-11 last year. “They’re a good set-piece side and they’ve got a massive pack, so we expect them to go to the driving lineout.
“We’ve got to be on our toes there,” added Beard. “They’ve got talismen around their pack and a lot of ball-handling and contact skills.
“Every area of the game, we’ve got to be on top of it.”
