WE DID some good build-up work against Western Province, but knocked-on or gave the ball away or gave a penalty away when, if we could have hung on for two or three more phases, we could have gone on to score one or two more tries. But credit to the defence – they stuck in there against tough opposition.

I think going forward you come out of the game learning a lot more about yourself than after putting 40 or 50 points on a team because it was a tough game and it is something you know about when you wake up the following morning.

Conditions probably did not help. It was not so bad during the game, but beforehand it was horrific out there, so it was always going to be a light-footed match.

Also we knew in the build-up in the week what we were playing. We knew we were always going to get a game.

It has been another difficult week. There was a big match last Wednesday night, then travelling early Thursday, training Friday in a new place, and it is now the end of week four of the tour, so the guys are starting to feel it a little bit.

We are seven days away from the first Test, we have got another build-up game on Tuesday and all we can do as players is try to go out there and do the best we can and whatever a lot of people think of the scoreline on Saturday, a lot of guys held their hands up and came out of the game with a lot of credit and gave their all.

And certainly as captain and speaking to the guys before the game, that is all I wanted from them and I am very proud of all the guys' efforts.

I sat in the press conference afterwards and everybody was saying, 'Is this where we want to be?' or 'Is this where you need to be?' and the answer is you can only do what you can do.

If you had asked me before we left whether I would be happy to have beaten Western Province and gone five from five, I would have said, 'Yes, of course I would!' You can only do what you can do besides training hard.

Even in training you are still learning to play together. On Saturday we had the likes of Nathan Hines in the second row – you have to remember we have not played together.

The guys stuck in well and showed a huge amount of character. It could have been very easy to say 'we lost that game today and we tried and it is not important – the important thing is next weekend', but they didn't – the guys stuck in and worked extremely hard and managed to sneak a win in the end.

The coaches have made it very clear that no Test team will be picked or no Test team will train together until Tuesday night is over.

They have been very open and honest and to their word and I think the team that played last Wednesday and today's team know they are in a position to do well with team selection and it has given a couple of people the opportunity.

I think a huge amount of credit must go to the coaching team for that and hopefully the guys will respond in the right way. I will certainly come back with regards to Saturday and look forward to selection for either Tuesday or Saturday's game.

As a player you always say you want honesty. You always respect people who are honest with you.

Obviously the coaching team have got a lot of experience – Geech (head coach Ian McGeechan), Shaun (defence coach Shaun Edwards), and I know a little bit about Gats (forwards coach Warren Gatland). Being at Wasps he is someone I have always had a chat to and when I hear guys talk about them one word they say about them is they are always honest.