"That it is why it is important for us to do well. Wales were deserved winners of the Six Nations and will be a lot better than they were when we faced them in South Africa earlier this year."

De Villiers has admitted that the Lions are already at the forefront of his thinking, although he is urging his side to focus fully on this month's games alone.

"We will focus on what we need to do and look to pick up where we left off in the final Tri-Nations Test against Australia.

"This tour is also important to our longer-term preparations for the Lions tour next year, but we are not losing sight of the immediate task at hand."