Gatland’s men, skippered by Sam Warburton face a furious battle with South Africa at the Millennium Stadium next weekend before clashes with Argentina, Tonga and then Australia at the end of the month.
They are four games which the head coach believes will highlight just how close his side are to being crowned world champions in two years’ time.
He said: “I think come the 2015 World Cup, this Welsh team will be ideally placed to compete for it.
“I think it will have a fantastic chance to win it, especially as it is held in the Northern Hemisphere.