GRAND Slam-winning coach Mike Ruddock is certain that Wales can beat South Africa in tomorrow’s World Cup quarter-final and he believes Dan Biggar is the man to stun the Springboks.

Ruddock, who led Wales to the Grand Slam in 2005, is confident that Warren Gatland’s men can match their achievement of 2011 and claim a semi-final spot against the odds.

And he says Biggar, who has succeeded with 15 of his 16 goalkicks so far in the tournament, is the man to get them over the line.

Ruddock said: “The Springboks will be wary not only of his ability to steer the ship in general at 10… his goal kicking has been superb as well.

“Whatever you throw at him he copes with it. He takes knocks and bumps and bruises and gets up and dusts himself down and gets back into leading the Welsh onslaught.

“I’ve watched Dan since he was about 14 years of age – both my sons Rhys and Ciaran were in the Swansea Schoolboys under-15s with Dan at one stage.

“So I’ve seen him come through all sorts of tests over the years. He’s a magnificent player and a very strong character.

“South Africa are very direct, very physical and they’ll want to bully you,” added the Blaina-born former Ebbw Vale and Newport Gwent Dragons coach.

“They’ll want to kick it in the corners and get their lineout and driving maul going.

“So for Wales it will be about changing the point of attack, trying to get outside that press defence and that line speed that South Africa bring and using that guile and footwork that is a trademark of Welsh play.”

And Ruddock says the ‘magnificent’ Welsh defence can compensate for the inexperience of Gareth Anscombe at 15 and Dragons youngster Tyler Morgan in the centre.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “My only concern is that Wales haven’t got a specialist full-back and they’re probably less experienced at 13 and can they be as effective in those wider channels as they want to be?

“It’s going to take a big performance from Wales but you wouldn’t put it past them.

“Their defence, particularly under Shaun Edwards, has been magnificent.

“I don’t know whether they’ve got the attacking tools to win the game but they can still win it by their discipline and their massive appetite for defence.”

Ruddock will also have a close eye on Ireland v Argentina at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday with his son Rhys named as a replacement following his call-up this week.

“We’re delighted Rhys has got the opportunity,” he said. “He’ll be quite at home in Wales having grown up here, even though he was born in Dublin.”