Rob Howley was in no doubt yesterday that Wales are battle-hardened and ready for the latest punishing instalment of their demanding Rugby World Cup schedule on Saturday.

After facing England and Australia, games that were sandwiched by a bruising encounter against Fiji, Wales will now encounter arguably the most physical team of all — quarter-final opponents and twice world champions South Africa.

But Wales have kept coming back for more, despite losing almost a fifth of their original World Cup squad through injury.

Leigh Halfpenny, Scott Williams, Rhys Webb, Liam Williams, Hallam Amos and Cory Allen have all been ruled out at various stages, with Ospreys wing Eli Walker the latest player called up yesterday, though he is unlikely to feature after recently overcoming an injury,

Wales have overcome considerable odds to reach the last eight for a second successive World Cup campaign and Wales assistant coach Howley said: “Warren Gatland always had a saying at Wasps when I was playing under him, that we are battle-hardened.

“We’ve come through the last few weeks after really tough games against tier one nations, and Fiji cannot be underestimated — they were extremely physical and tough — and that gives us a really good platform.”