Ben-Jason Dixon has put Wales on notice ahead of next Saturday's Nations Championship clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, warning that the Durban fixture will test the Springboks just as severely as the hard-fought 42-28 win over Scotland in Pretoria.
Dixon, earning his ninth Test cap off the bench, acknowledged the Boks were far from their best against Scotland — a view he shares with Rassie Erasmus — but pointed to the second-half character shown by the squad as a significant positive. Scotland levelled at 14-all at half-time before the Boks pulled clear, a passage of play Dixon sees as a direct warning for what Wales will bring.
"They're just getting better and better, and they're tough guys to play against," Dixon said of Wales. "We struggled a little when Scotland got back into it in the second half, and Wales are going to be no different. They are a very difficult team to break down defensively, and they also have a good kicking game."
The victory was the Springboks' 10th consecutive Test win, achieved with 10 changes to the starting lineup that beat England in the competition opener and a squad light on caps on paper. Dixon singled out the influence of the senior players in driving standards.
"When you put some of the double Rugby World Cup champions in a team, you just see how the level rises," he said. "We learn a lot from those moments."
Dixon received a yellow card during the match but returned to the field as the Boks reasserted control. He described his own form as a work in progress: "I feel as though my confidence is growing a little every week, but there's plenty to work on."
The squad travelled to Durban on Sunday and begins preparations for the Wales Test on Monday.