Wales flanker Dan Lydiate said that Saturday’s Dublin appointment with Six Nations champions Ireland is “brilliant preparation” for the Rugby World Cup.
The Aviva Stadium warm-up encounter will see Wales coach Warren Gatland and his Ireland counterpart Joe Schmidt see their World Cup contenders for a final time before both squads are announced next week.
Unlike when the countries met in Cardiff three weeks ago, both teams have a powerful look to them.
Wales will use nine players from their 23-16 Six Nations victory over Ireland in Cardiff in March, while Schmidt includes eight.
“It is the first hit-out for a lot of us, but at the end of the day it’s an international,” Lydiate said.
“We are excited about going out there, but it’s going to be a big challenge.
“We saw how well-drilled Ireland were in the first match earlier this month, and they’ve had a couple more weeks to prepare, so we are expecting a tough Test match. But it’s brilliant preparation for the World Cup.
“It is quite strange because it’s a pre-season game. Usually, you’ve had quite a few games before an international, but this is the first hit-up for a lot of the boys.
“Probably, there will be parts of the game where both sides are rusty, but hopefully it will be a good show and it will be a good Test match.”
Ireland won 35-21 when the sides met in Cardiff three weeks ago, and Gatland expects an improved performance as he prepares his team for the Rugby World Cup, where they are in Group A with England, Australia, Fiji and Uruguay.
“We all recognise we were poor in the first half against Ireland in the last game,” he said.
“We obviously played a lot better in the second half, and a lot of players that were pretty inexperienced learned from that occasion.
“So it’s about playing away from home and getting a bit of confidence and trying to replicate, potentially, what is going to happen at Twickenham in those two big World Cup games against England and Australia.”
Elsewhere, Scotland winger Sean Lamont said he is not thinking about reaching a century of caps at the Rugby World Cup because he fears he may not make coach Vern Cotter’s squad.
The 34-year-old Glasgow veteran will make his 96th appearance for the Scots on Saturday when they take on Italy at Murrayfield in the second-last warm-up game for each side.
Lamont played in Turin last week when Scotland won 16-12.
If he faces France in Paris next weekend, he would be on course to break into three figures when the Scots play their third Pool B match at England 2015 against South Africa in Newcastle.
“The 100th cap is there in the background,” Lamont said. “If I don’t get it, I don’t get it. Whatever is best for Scotland is most important.
“Reaching that 100 caps cannot be my main focus when there is a World Cup to think about, and it is not. My only focus so far has been on making that 31-man squad.
“For me, there is no guarantee. There are some excellent wingers out there and the competition is still very high.
“I don’t want to take anything for granted, so that is my mindset.
“I’m not in the squad yet so I will be sticking to my guns and doing everything I can on the field. Then it will be down to Vern.”
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