Wales have never won a Test against the Springboks on South African soil, losing all 10 to date - can they end that run this summer? Watch the opening Test live on Saturday July 2 from 3.30pm on Sky Sports Action; kick-off 4:05pm
Thursday 30 June 2022 15:22, UK
Tommy Reffell will make his Wales Test debut vs South Africa in Saturday's opening Test, live on Sky Sports, while George North and Dan Lydiate make returns.
North, who has spent most of his career on the wing, will bolster the midfield alongside Nick Tompkins as he returns from a serious knee injury that ruled him out of the British & Irish Lions tests against the Springboks last year.
Flanker Dan Lydiate also makes his first appearance in more than 12 months after recovering from injury and will form a back-row with debutant Reffell and No 8 Taulupe Faletau.
"Were very pleased they're back after long layoffs," coach Wayne Pivac said of North and Lydiate. "They've both worked very hard and were playing well at the time of their injuries, so it was disappointing for them to be out for so long.
"But to have them back, and the experience they bring, its great for the group.
"Tommy Reffell is a player we've been watching for some time now. He's been in very good form with Leicester Tigers and he's match fit which is important with our squad not having played a lot of rugby recently."
Scrum-half Kieran Hardy will be alongside captain Dan Biggar as the half-back pairing, while Liam Williams is at full-back, and Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams on the wings.
Hooker Ryan Elias is joined in the front row by props Gareth Thomas and Dillon Lewis. Will Rowlands and Adam Beard are the second row pairing.
"This is our first tour away as a group so its fantastic for us," Pivac said. "The guys have had a good weeks build up, have really enjoyed each others company and just being away in different surroundings.
"Its going to be a great atmosphere Saturday, a great challenge and one were looking forward to."
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kieran Hardy; 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Alun Wyn Jones, 20 Josh Navidi, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Owen Watkin.
Elton Jantjies will start at fly-half and the electric Damian Willemse at full-back when South Africa take on Wales in the first Test at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Jantjies has been preferred to regular starter Handre Pollard, who played in the French Top 14 final win for Montpellier on Friday, while Willemse is chosen ahead of the vastly more experienced Willie le Roux.
It suggests the Boks might look to run with ball in hand and move slightly away from their reliance on a kicking game, looking instead to tire the Welsh at altitude before unleashing their powerful forwards off the bench.
The rest of the backline has a familiar look to it with wings Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe, centres Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende, and scrum-half Faf de Klerk, all of whom started for the Boks in their 2019 World Cup final victory over England.
The front row consists of props Frans Malherbe and Ox Nche, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, the lock pairing of Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, and a back three of captain Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese.
"We have the advantage of having several players that are quite versatile, so a guy like Damian Willemse can cover fly-half and centre in addition to full-back, while Kwagga (Smith) covers each of the loose forward positions and can even slot in at wing with his Blitzbok (Sevens) experience," head coach Jacques Nienaber said.
Uncapped lock Salmaan Moerat and loose-forward Elrigh Louw have been named among the replacements and will almost certainly get a run as the Boks use their 6-2 split on the bench in the second half to add fresh muscle in the pack.
The pair faced off in Cape Town earlier this month when Moerat's Stormers beat the Bulls in the inaugural United Rugby Championship final.
"We have a fantastic crop of young players who have really been working hard at training and putting up their hands, and it is pleasing for us as coaches to give Salmaan and Elrigh this opportunity," Nienaber said.
"We have a plan for the season in terms of giving some of the young players a chance to show what they can do at international level, while at the same time taking stock of the seasoned campaigners and where they are in terms of their rugby."
The second and third Tests, also live on Sky Sports, will be played in Bloemfontein and Cape Town respectively over the following two Saturdays. Wales lost all 10 of their previous matches in South Africa.
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Franco Mostert, 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Willie le Roux.
The odds are stacked against last year's Guinness Six Nations champions, with Wales' degree of difficulty increased by the opening two games - in Pretoria and Bloemfontein - being at altitude.
And they have also never beaten the Springboks in South Africa, losing all 10 previous Tests, with many of those results being comprehensive defeats.
"It is obviously going to be tough, physically and mentally," Wales lock Beard said.
"We are in a really good space as a squad. We've trained well and we know what is on the line here - to create our own bit of history.
"It would be an awesome feeling going out there and creating that history. The boys are ready, the boys are raring to go, and we can't wait to get stuck into it."
Beard is likely to be among a number of British and Irish Lions on last year's South Africa tour featuring in Wales' starting line-up.
That experience, albeit in games behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, will undoubtedly be beneficial for Wales head coach Wayne Pivac.
"It was the experience of going on the tour, meeting guys from different countries, learning off people," Beard said.
"To get a Test match (appearance) was an unbelievable experience.
"Looking at South Africa, they are a big physical team that pride themselves on the set-piece and being physical and direct.
"Those are the sort of games that I enjoy and I feel like it's when I come up trumps and I can use my points of difference."
Pivac is due to announce his starting line-up on Thursday for Wales' first clash against the Springboks in South Africa since 2014, and there are likely to be a number of changes from the side beaten 22-21 by Six Nations opponents Italy three months ago.
Three of that team - Johnny McNicholl, Uilisi Halaholo and Seb Davies - are not on the tour, but Pivac is boosted by players like George North and Dan Lydiate being available following long-term injuries.
Both players have been out of Test rugby for more than a year, last featuring in Wales colours during the 2021 Six Nations. North looks set to start at outside centre, while 34-year-old Lydiate could reclaim the number six shirt.
Elsewhere, full-back Liam Williams, scrum-half Tomos Williams and prop Tomas Francis are set for returns, and Pivac must decide whether to retain 150 times-capped Alun Wyn Jones in the second row, with Beard and Will Rowlands also pushing hard for starting places.
Saturday, July 2
New Zealand vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England - live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales - live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
Saturday, July 9
New Zealand vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England - live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales - live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
Tuesday, July 12
Maori All Blacks vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 8am (kick off is at 8.05am)
Saturday, July 16
New Zealand vs Ireland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England - live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales - live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland - live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
