The Cardiff Rugby flanker put in a huge shift throughout the 80 minutes that also included Wales’ second try at the death.
“It was very physical but what was pleasing was the way we fought back at the end to get back into their 22 and get the final points. There were a lot of positives from it,” said Botham.
“There are obviously a lot of work-ons as well, but overall I thought the boys showed a lot of heart and it was good to see. I thought the boys fronted up and it was a good performance.
“There has been a lot of negativity around recently but you’ve got to put that in the back pocket. The boys showed together we are a unit and, hopefully, it should all go one way.
“All teams transition and some take longer than others. It’s a journey and we’ve definitely got a few more stops before we get to the final destination.
“It’s about working hard – the more we stay together, the better I think we’ll be. The Six Nations is a new competition where we can set new goals.”
Having just faced the world champion Springboks Wales kick-off their championship campaign on a Friday night in Paris against France.
“The boys can go away and work on things they need to work on, including myself. Hopefully, we can come back a better team for another period of time together in which we can gel and improve,” added Botham.
“It’s amazing to play for your country, a dream come true. Every time you run out there and sing the anthem, it’s emotional and the fans have been amazing.
“We have got to stick together, gel, and not rush things. When you rush things, it tends to not work out.
“The more you play together, the more you trust one another, and once we get the cohesion over a period of time we’ll be better. Just look at Australia, they were under the pump at one time, but they’ve spent more time together and now they’re starting to get results.
“It’s a matter of turning the corner. When we’ll do that, no-one knows, but it’s definitely going in the right direction.”
