Wales came up short against Canada, but captain Siwan Lillicrap says there is “a lot more growth to come” as the Rugby World Cup build-up continues.
Ioan Cunningham’s new-look side were defeated 31-3 after a week-long training camp in Halifax.
It was the first of two Tests before they fly to New Zealand – with England next up at Ashton Gate on 14 September.
The 32-player squad to make the plane will be unveiled five days later.
Wales, who are still in pre-season, looked rusty at times against a side ranked fourth in the world.
It was their first return to action since the Six Nations in April, while Canada played Test rugby just a few weeks ago.
Key players had been left out, with Lillicrap herself on the bench, as Cunningham looked at new players and combinations.
There were three debutants in Lowri Norkett, Eloise Hayward and Carys Williams-Morris, who switched allegiances having been capped five times for England.
Wales started brightly, but Canada ran in five unanswered tries after Elinor Snowsill’s early penalty.
Lillicrap, who came on at the start of the second half, said the game was a good measure of “where we are at and where we need to work on”.
She told BBC Sport Wales: “I think we performed really well, we worked hard for a full 80 minutes. Every one in that one to 23 had an impact,” .
“So much growth has come, but a lot more to come in the next few weeks.
“I think this squad can start believing now because there are some real opportunities out there that we could have taken.”
As of July this year, 29 of Wales’ players are now fully professional, and Lillicrap believes they are already reaping the rewards.
“We have been working hard on fitness, our physicality and general conditioning.
“We have started implementing rugby in the last few weeks, we have shown some good bits, but we have got a lot of work to do.
“This team are up for that. Our challenge is New Zealand and how we progress out in the World Cup.
“What we have got is strength in depth and everyone working now which is a huge bonus from where we were 12 months ago.”
Head coach Cunningham echoes her sentiments, saying the week in Nova Scotia has been “very positive”
“The purpose of coming out here was to spend a lot of time together, to have a mini World Cup experience where we are in a new country, a new hotel, new training facilities.
“It has been a real worthwhile exercise with a good game at the end of it.
“I thought Carys Williams-Morris was really good in a combination with Hannah Jones, Lowri Norkett was excellent, made her hits, carried hard and her work rate was really good.
“Eloise Hayward came on an zipped the ball away from the breakdown, which was excellent, Abbie Fleming worked her socks off and Kat Evans gave us what we needed with her engine.
“More headaches for us coaches, but it is pleasing to see.”
