In short, Wales would be tested against pace and power as they put their tag of 2005 RBS Six Nations Grand Slam Champions to the test against the three SANZAR giants and a Pacific Island that could show the world more than a thing or two about Sevens rugby.

First up came Wales's clash with New Zealand, the fourth time in four seasons that Wales and the All Blacks would go head-to-head. The match marked the 100th anniversary of the first fixture between the teams and was billed as the battle of the hemispheres as it pitched the RBS Six Nations Champions of 2005 against the Tri-Nations Champions of 2005. New Zealand were taking in all of the home nations on their autumn tour and after a three-nil Lions Tour whitewash victory, rugby fans around the world were eager to see how the All Blacks would fair against the four Lions nations individually.

With Wales first up for the All Blacks, this match pitched the total swift counter-attack and domination of Graham Henry’s emerging All Blacks against the expansive total-attack rugby of Mike Ruddock’s Wales. The hosts had run the visitors to within a point during the previous autumn test campaign and thus with great expectation, the stage was set for an epic; at least that was the plan.

In spite of the billing, the historic match saw Wales suffer a record home defeat of 41-3 at the hands of New Zealand owing to a hat-trick of tries from Rico Gear and twenty-six points from the boot of Dan Carter. New Zealand scored ten minutes into the game courtesy of Carter but Stephen Jones responded in kind to level the scores.

The scores at the interval rested at 3-13 but Wales did not achieve the good restart they were hoping for as Gear scored two tries before the fifty minute mark had passed. Though Wales maintained pressure they could not break over the New Zealand line and were punished late on in the game by two tries from the ever-impressive Carter who went on to inspire the Kiwis to an eventual 'Grand Slam' of the home nations throughout the month of November.

Wales met Fiji the following Friday night. Inevitably, as Wales had been drawn against Fiji in the Pool B of Rugby World Cup 2007 the match was built up as a preview to the Pool B clash with the South Pacific nation.

Only a late drop goal from Nicky Robinson could secure Wales a dramatic 11-10 victory in front of a 73,000 Millennium Stadium crowd just five minutes from time. In a game in which Wales dominated possession, the first half remained scoreless until Fiji broke the deadlock a minute before the interval with a superb try.

Sisa Koyamaibole launched the attack from the back of a scrum inside Fiji’s half and lock Ifereimi Rawaqa finished under the posts for a 7-0 lead going into the break. The Fijian lead was stretched soon after the intermission when outside half Seremaia Bai took over the kicking duties and converted a drop goal just after fifty-five minutes.

Wales had a try disallowed for a knock-on before Nicky Robinson put Wales on the board with a fifty-eighth-minute penalty. Fiji’s lock Isoa Domolailai was sin-binned and Wales took advantage of their extra man at a scrum.

A Welsh drive enabled then-captain Michael Owen to touchdown but as Robinson missed the conversion Wales still trailed by two points. Five minutes from time Robinson dropped a goal to seal the narrow victory for the hosts.

Wales encountered South Africa in the third match of the 2005 Invesco Perpetual Autumn Series and having suffered a setback at the hands of New Zealand and nearly suffered a banana skin at the hands of Fiji, gave a more impressive display in this match than had been thus far witnessed in the series.

South Africa recorded a 16-33 win over Wales but the margin of victory flattered the visitors. Wales began nervously, giving the Springboks a lead after just ninety seconds. Bryan Habana secured his first of a brace of tries soon after but Stephen Jones put Wales on the board in the first quarter to take the score to 3-8. Jones and opposite number Percy Montgomery added another three-pointer apiece as South Africa headed into the interval with an 6-11 advantage.

On the resumption the Springboks started brightly and Habana easily secured his second try of the game in undefended Welsh territory. Yet with Montgomery out of form and Jones adding another penalty the Welsh remained in contention. The South African fullback was soon after sin-binned for a late tackle on Shane Williams but the Welsh advantage did not last as Chris Horsman soon followed for punching.

The Springboks delivered the crucial score as Conrad Jantjes benefited from Welsh error-strewn play. In spite of stretched lead of 9-23, well out of the Wales's grasp given the ever-decreasing match time available the Welsh spirit fought on and Shane Williams darted for the South African line but was once more illegally tackled by Montgomery, who deservedly received a second yellow card.

Ceri Sweeney secured a Welsh try but as Danie Rossouw secured a South African score in kind in the dying minutes the Springboks gained a flattering victory that belied the Welsh determination. Yet again Wales had crashed to a defeat by South Africa in an autumn international with the 2004 Lloyds TSB Autumn Series encounter the closest the home side have come to defeating the Boks since Mark Taylor's brilliant try secured victory for Wales in the Millennium Stadium's opening match back in June 1999.

The final match os the 2005 Series saw Wales take on Australia. Having failed to secure a scalp of notice in the series so far they secured an emphatic 24-22 win to end the run of nine straight defeats at the hands of the Southern Hemisphere nation. Wales had not triumphed over Australia since the third-place play-off in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987; a victory now would therefore provide Wales with another page to add to the already historic achievements of 2005.

Playing in the commemorative black strip, marking 125 years of the Welsh Rugby Union, Wales scored first but the capacity crowd were soon silenced by a superb Lote Tuqiri try. However, Wales sustained the pressure and only trailed 7-6 at the interval. Australia started strong after the intermission with Nathan Sharpe crossing the Welsh line after just eighty-four seconds.

Maintaining the never-say-die attitude employed during the Grand Slam win a few months earlier, Wales were soon after awarded a penalty try due to continued pressure at the Australian line. This was followed by a tremendous try from whippet-like wing Shane Williams and, due to the boot of Stephen Jones, Wales's lead was stretched to 24-17.

A Chris Latham try on 71 minutes went unconverted and because of this Wales held the narrow two point advantage until the close of the eighty minutes and earned a fantastic victory, the first over the Wallabies in 18 years. The first Invesco Perpetual Series had not quite borne the fruits of Welsh expectation but the scalp of a SANZAR nation had at least shown a marked improvement from the campaigns of recent years and left the home camp in an optimistic mood for the forthcoming defence of the RBS Six Nations crown. Wales would not have to wait long to test themselves once more against at least two of the SANZAR teams, as Australia and New Zealand would be welcomed back the following Autumn for the 2006 Invesco Perpetual Series.