Wales flanker Jac Morgan says the national side are closing the gap on the world's best teams despite heavy Nations Championship defeats to Argentina and South Africa. Wales opened the tournament with a 39-24 win over Fiji in Cardiff before losing comprehensively to the Pumas and then to a rotated Springboks side, who still ran out 43-0 winners. Morgan, who missed much of the season through injury, insists the setbacks mask genuine progress made under new head coach Steve Tandy since he took charge last autumn.

Wales finished Tandy's first season with three wins from twelve Tests, against Japan, Italy and Fiji, and now sit 11th in the world rankings. Morgan pointed to encouraging performances against Scotland and Ireland in the Six Nations, plus the wins over Italy and Fiji, as evidence of improvement, while acknowledging lessons still to learn ahead of next year's World Cup, where Wales face England, Tonga and Zimbabwe in the group stage. The squad will next assemble in November for Nations Championship fixtures against Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff, followed by a finals weekend clash with another southern hemisphere side at Twickenham.