In addition, the Springbok coach knows he will be pitting his wits against the bulk of the 2009 Lions coaching team at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.
"This game is the first step in the direction of the Lions. It will be great for the players to meet first-hand on the pitch as I expect a lot of the Lions squad to be playing on Saturday," said de Villiers.
"But it will also be an opportunity for us to look at how the coaches think and go about things. Saturday will be the toughest Test because it's the first - and Warren Gatland is one of the best coaches in the business.
"We will have more time to look at Scotland and England."
The Springboks' UK tour, which features games against Wales, Scotland and England, will see the World Cup winners play their last official Tests before the series against the 2009 Lions.
