BEATING World Cup champions South Africa on Saturday in Cardiff would mean as much as winning the Grand Slam to Wales’ Gwent-born second row Ian Gough.

And the Ospreys lock said the feel-good factor of beating the Boks would have a positive impact on the game throughout Wales.

The 32-year-old made his Test debut in 1998 during one of the blackest days in Welsh rugby history.

Wales were smashed 96-13 at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld by a Springbok side who ran in 15 tries.

The 2008 Grand Slam winner has played against South Africa four times since during his 52-cap career and has tasted bitter defeat every time.

Gough said beating the Tri Nations superpower would mean as much to him as when the champagne flowed after the 29-12 victory over France in March: “Beating South Africa would be massive. I managed to win against Australia in 2005 and that was a great win.”

Panteg-born Gough said: “A victory over one of the southern hemisphere giants would be huge for Welsh rugby.

“Beating the Springboks would be up there with winning the Six Nations.”

He wasn’t part of the only Wales side to ever triumph over the Boks, in the first ever game at the Millennium Stadium back in 1999. Craig Quinnell and Chris Wyatt packed down in the second row during the 29-19 win with Mike Voyle coming on as a replacement. Former Newport Gwent Dragons and Newport lock Gough said: “I remember watching in 1999 when we beat them – it was fantastic. It was one of Gary Teichmann’s last games before joining Newport. I was gutted I wasn’t involved.”

On the prospect of meeting the formidable Springbok pack, Gough said: “Physically they present the biggest of challenges. Victor Matfield brings a bit of finesse to their pack and he’s a top line-out predator, one of the top line-out stealers in the world.

“And Bakkies Botha, for a big guy, is very quick. They compliment each other very well.

Much has been made of the Ospreys’ ‘faltering’ line-out this season and how Wales will fare there against the Boks with so many players from the Neath-Swansea region central to its success.

Talking about the Ospreys’ line-out in the defeat to London Irish on Sunday, Gough said: “We lost a bit of fluency with the boys being out with the Welsh squad.

“But in the second half it was much better. We had the majority of ball and we were unlucky not to win.

“(On Saturday) it’s a matter of getting our processes right. We’ve got a week to work on it.

“I’m predicting we will do quite well in the line-out.”