Davies happy to hand over control

Caretaker coach Nigel Davies believes he will be handing over a Wales team to Warren Gatland next month that is full of potential despite the 34-12 defeat at the hands of world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium.

A young Wales side went down five tries to two but Davies admitted he was proud of his side's efforts against a streetwise Springboks outfit, who lifted the Prince William Cup.

"What we have seen is passion, endeavour and effort from Wales. I was hugely proud of how the boys went about their business," he said. "We showed a bit of a lack of ability to finish chances off from the number of line breaks we created."

He added: "This is a good team going forward and some of the performances like Morgan Stoddart, who put his hand up and showed what he could do, and Robin Sowden-Taylor, Gavin Henson, Gethin Jenkins and Jonathan Thomas.

"It was a good effort but we aren't clinical at this stage. We have laid the foundation.

"We need to go forward as a nation. If you look at the game, we were in it but defensively we have to step up a couple of notches.

"This is the end of an era and the start of another and this is the basis of a good team going forward.

"We can't accept mediocrity and we won't. In general terms I cannot fault the passion or the commitment.

"The Springboks showed how clinical they are as a team and their ability to play without the ball."

With Gatland now ready to take over Davies' faces an uncertain future.