Jonathan Davies: Centre happy with progress after surgery

Jonathan Davies has scored 10 tries for Wales in 48 appearances.

Jonathan Davies says he is not missing the physical exertion of pre-World Cup training with Wales after knee surgery.

The 27-year-old Clermont Auvergne centre expects to be out for between six and seven months after rupturing a cruciate ligament.

"I had the operation two and a bit or three weeks ago and touch wood everything's gone alright," he said.

Wales are on a training camp in Switzerland, with Davies saying he was "not missing the training".

"I'm just slowly doing a little bit of rehab now - nothing too serious," added the former Scarlets player.

"But it's going to take a while, though I'll be hopefully back playing in six or seven months."

Davies, however, thinks the players in Wales' World Cup squad are being pushed hard in Switzerland.

"I remember four years ago the Spala camps in Poland they were very brutal," added the former Scarlets player.

"But physically you're in the best shape of your life and what they're trying to do this year is go one better and I think it's good.

"You get away with the boys, you come together you become close and though you don't really like the training but you're all in it together and that's important in the long run."

Wales coach Warren Gatland's now-infamous camps before the 2011 World Cup were cited as a key element in Wales' run to the semi-final.

Jamie Roberts and George North grapple during Wales training in the Swiss Alps

This summer the Welsh squad train at altitude in the Alps before travelling to Qatar and returning to Poland in August.

They kick-off their World Cup campaign against Uruguay in Cardiff on Sunday, 20 September and go on to face hosts England, Fiji and Australia in pool matches.

Davies played in all three Tests on the victorious British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia in 2013 and would have been a key member of Gatland's squad in the World Cup.

He believes Wales will have the preparation and belief to qualify from one of the most difficult qualifying groups.

"Wales as a squad in the last few years we've got better the more time we've spent together," he added.

"The boys will be very well prepared and going in to the World Cup there will be confidence.

"Winning the group would be perfect, but just to qualify from that group with teams like Australia and England in there and Fiji are going to be a huge threat it will be an achievement in itself.

"But I'm sure the boys will be aiming to win the group."

Wales have not beaten Australia since 2008, but Davies does not believe a run of 10 consecutive defeats against the Wallabies will be a psychological barrier for the team.

"The media and the press keep asking when are we going to beat these southern hemisphere sides but the doubt never entered the players' minds," he said.

"I think the victory against South Africa at the end of the autumn series last year will be a huge confidence booster because it confirms the thought that we are good enough to compete."