Mike Phillips has said that Wales need to build on their Six Nations championship in order to beat sides from the Southern Hemisphere.

Wales ended an eight-game losing streak to take their second consecutive title in the annual tournament.

The scrum-half told the Welsh Rugby Union's website: "The title was one to savour because of the way we turned it around. Was Saturday better than the Grand Slam games? I think it probably was because so many things just could not have gone any better.

"But rugby is a cut-throat industry. Everyone loves us now, but the players know the score. We know that if we don't carry this on, move on to bigger and better things, the critics will come for us.

"We have not been that far away from beating Australia in the last 18 months and that is still the next step for us, to keep the focus and start beating them, New Zealand and South Africa."

Wales took wins against France, Italy, Scotland and England during this year's championship, as well as a loss to Ireland.