Alex Cuthbert: Keeps his place in side

Wales' painful 26-12 Millennium Stadium loss to Argentina last weekend was their heaviest home defeat for three years.

And with world champions New Zealand looming in just 10 days' time, Wales must deliver a victory and vastly-improved performance this time around.

Cardiff Blues wing Cuthbert is among just seven players from the Pumas clash - Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jamie Roberts, Aaron Jarvis, Ian Evans and Toby Faletau are the others - retained by Wales' interim head coach Rob Howley for Samoa.

And the 22-year-old has underlined a collective desire to show that Wales mean business against opponents they defeated by just four points on their last Cardiff visit in 2009.

"Most of the public thought we were going to win last Saturday, but we knew Argentina are a good side. They turned up, while we didn't," Cuthbert said.

"I couldn't get myself in the game, but to be fair to Argentina they closed the bigger boys such as myself, George and Jamie down.

"We didn't seem to have that firepower that we usually have in the backs. We want to put that right.

"We will definitely turn up on Friday. Training has gone well this week, and we are just looking forward to getting back on the field and proving the doubters wrong.

"People have high expectations of us, just like we have high expectations. We let ourselves down. It was one of those days when nothing went to plan."

Cuthbert was not involved when Wales played out a bruising World Cup pool clash against Samoa in Hamilton last year.

Wales prevailed 17-10, but only after Halfpenny's brilliance created a try for wing Shane Williams and the eventual World Cup semi-finalists were able to wipe out a four-point interval deficit.

"Samoa are going to be gunning for us after the boys beat them in the World Cup. They are a big physical side," Cuthbert added.

"The England game in the Six Nations last season was pretty physical, and Australia in the summer also, but this will be one of the biggest tests."

Samoa's heavy hitters are renowned for the often brutal ferocity of their tackling, but at 6ft 6in tall and weighing more than 16 stone, Cuthbert has no reason to let that approach bother him.

"I don't mind the physical stuff," he said. "You just have to take it.

"Boys have been playing for years and they are used to it. Samoa are a big, strong squad and they will put those hits in.

"They will target the first 20 minutes and they will come flying out at us. We have to weather their storm, and once we can play our rugby then hopefully we will come out on top.

"We have needed to pick our intensity up from last weekend.

"Hopefully we can take that into the Samoa game, because there aren't many teams that can keep up with our fitness levels and the pace we can play at."