Wales have 'nothing to lose' against South Africa - Plumtree

Men’s world friendly: South Africa v Wales

Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday, 22 June Kick-off: 14:00 BST

Coverage: Live connected S4C, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru nan BBC Sport website and app, positive unrecorded matter commentary and followed by lucifer study connected nan BBC Sport website and app.

Flanker Taine Plumtree says Wales will adopt a "nothing-to-lose" mentality against world champions South Africa arsenic he prepares for his Test lucifer return connected Saturday.

Plumtree is backmost connected nan world shape aft 10 months away, gaining a starting spot against nan Springboks astatine Twickenham.

It has been a testing play for nan 24-year-old, who suffered a enarthrosis wounded past summertime that efficaciously ended his World Cup hopes, earlier missing nan Six Nations pinch akin problems.

The Scarlets backmost statement impressed connected his 2 erstwhile world appearances successful World Cup warm-up games against England.

Plumtree is highly regarded by nan Wales guidance and now has a aureate opportunity to showcase his quality, pinch nan Springboks connected nan contiguous schedule followed by a two-Test Australia tour.

An inexperienced Wales broadside person been written disconnected successful astir quarters this weekend, pinch Warren Gatland's broadside having mislaid their past six games and finishing bottommost of nan Six Nations for nan first clip successful 20 years.

"Facing nan Springboks is going to beryllium a challenge, but it is nan champion clip for america arsenic a squad to show what we are made of and to trial ourselves," said Plumtree.

"I americium going into this week emotion we person sewage thing to suffer and hopefully put retired a capacity that will thief america to build into nan summertime tour.

"Any squad that plays against nan Springboks knows they want to power nan crippled done their battalion and really beingness they tin be.

"That is going to beryllium their mindset. Our mindset has to beryllium going up against that and giving it backmost to them.

"I deliberation nan only measurement is guardant for us. We conscionable want to bring backmost that existent conflict that Wales person ever had."

Plumtree qualifies for Wales aft being calved successful Swansea wherever his begetter John was coaching.

Plumtree elder is now caput coach of South African United Rugby Championship (URC) broadside Sharks and masterminded their caller Challenge Cup last success, erstwhile they hit Gloucester astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Eight of his squad are progressive successful South Africa's match-day 23 against Wales.

"I went to enactment pinch them successful London earlier nan Challenge Cup final," said Plumtree.

"It was cool because I would spell down to meal and nan players would travel up and shingle my manus and springiness my mum a hug.

"I sewage to cognize a fewer of nan boys. Phepsi Buthelezi is simply a bully man, and Aphelele Fassi is starting astatine full-back, and it will beryllium bully to spot him retired there."

With his dada moving astir nan world during his coaching career, Plumtree has knowledgeable life successful different cultures aft leaving Wales aged 2 for a five-year stint successful New Zealand.

He spent 8 years successful South Africa and a further twelvemonth successful Ireland, earlier returning to New Zealand and yet ending up backmost successful Wales.

"My favourite portion of my rugby increasing up successful South Africa was we played without boots, that's a halfway representation for me," said Plumtree.

"Each federation I've travel from has wholly different styles of rugby. The Boks person a beingness mindset, nan All Blacks don't extremity moving and Wales are very hearty and ne'er stop.

"If I could person immoderate of each 3 successful my bag, that wouldn't beryllium a bad thing."

Plumtree appeared connected Gatland's radar while playing for Auckland and Wellington successful New Zealand.

He was selected successful Wales' 2023 World Cup training squad and looked connected people to characteristic astatine that tourney earlier wounded struck.

"I came complete to Wales without immoderate expectations," he said.

"I was told I was joining for nan pre-World Cup training.

"I thought I would conscionable beryllium successful location for Switzerland and Turkey (training camps), but being capable to play a mates of capped games was thing I didn't deliberation could happen.

"I was conscionable grateful and honoured to beryllium capable to correspond Wales. It was unbelievable."