Wales v South Africa: Key talking points ahead of Cardiff Test
By Keith Moore
Last Updated: 26/11/16 5:05pm
Wales complete their 2016 autumn Test series on Saturday when they tackle South Africa at the Principality Stadium.
Both counties have endured testing November series, with Wales suffering a heavy loss to Australia before nervy wins over Argentina and Japan, while South Africa were thumped at Twickenham before their shock defeat against Italy.
A win would be most welcome for Springboks coach Allister Coetzee, who has come in for scathing criticism, while his counterpart Rob Howley is also under pressure after an underwhelming start to his second interim spell in charge of Wales.
Who will prevail in the 32nd meeting of a rivalry that stretches back 110 years? We examine the key talking points…
Form favours neither
Despite Wales' relatively poor form, the results of the Springboks have been even worse in 2016.
In Coetzee's first year in charge, the two-time world champions have lost seven of their 11 Tests. A 2-1 series win over Ireland in June was followed by an awful Rugby Championship in which they finished third and were thrashed 57-15 by the All Blacks in Durban.
The Boks then headed for the autumn internationals where they limped to a draw against the Barbarians at Wembley before losing to England for the first time in 10 years.
However, the latest of their unwanted records was arguably the worst, an unprecedented loss to Italy. Collectively those results mean the Springboks are at arguably their lowest in history.
Wales on the other hand lost twice to England in the first half of the year, the first defeat handing them a second-place finish in the Six Nations standings, while the other preceded a three-match tour of New Zealand in which Warren Gatland's side were whitewashed by the world champions.
In the autumn internationals Wales were thrashed by Australia before edging Argentina and Japan.
Both sides are in desperate need of a win and a positive performance, but who will deliver it?
Back-row battle
Wales will be without captain Sam Warburton for Saturday's clash after the flanker sustained an injury in training on Tuesday. Dan Lydiate has been brought into the side at blindside in the only change to the team that started the victory over Argentina.
Despite the loss of Warburton, Wales' back row still has far more experience than that of the Springboks. In times past the Boks would land in Cardiff with the likes of Juan Smith, Schalk Burger and Francois Louw on the side of the scrum, but injuries as well as unavailable personnel has left South Africa's loose forward stocks thin.
Did you know?
The countries have met on 31 occasions. South Africa lead the series 28-2 with one draw.
Warren Whiteley's 14 caps mean he is the most senior of the Bok loose forwards, while Nizaam Carr has four Tests to his name and Uzair Cassiem is making his debut.
Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty have a combined total of 119 caps against the Boks' 18.
Experience aside, Coetzee's selections mean the traditional South African game of big ball-carrying flankers has departed in favour of quick, athletic back rowers who will be able to effectively keep up with play.
The Springboks might be on the front foot in terms of arriving at the breakdown before their opposite numbers, but quite how effective their work will be in the tackle area remains to be seen.
Wales have much more balance to their back row, with Lydiate and Tipuric working in tandem for Ospreys, and Moriarty offering a solid platform at the base of the scrum.
Traditionally the breakdown is an area where the physical Boks have previously dominated, but Wales' back row will want to change that on Saturday.
Boks v experienced backs
South Africa are extremely thin on experience in their starting backline. There are two backs making their debut on Saturday, Jamba Ulengo and Rohan Janse van Rensburg, while Van Rensburg's midfield partner Francois Venter has two caps to his name.
Half-back pairing Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies have 20 caps between them while full-back Johan Goosen is the most experienced international with 12 caps. Winger Ruan Combrinck has played six Tests after making his debut against Ireland earlier in the year.
On the other side of the halfway line Wales are able to lean on 343 Tests caps in their backline. Four of the seven have 50 caps or more, while scrum-half Gareth Davies' 20 caps is the least held by any of Wales' back division.
With the game likely to rest on out-of-hand kicking, decision-making from the backs will be crucial, and in that sense Wales have a definitive edge over the visitors.
Wales need a win, and a performance
Some say that Saturday's encounter is a "lose, lose" scenario for Wales interim head coach Howley.
If Wales win, it will be claimed by critics that it was only against a dismal South Africa team. If they lose, then the post-mortem could prove a detailed and lengthy one.
Although the wins over Argentina and Japan were unconvincing, a Welsh victory this weekend would make it their most successful autumn campaign since 2002, when they defeated Romania, Fiji and Canada.
Howley clearly needs a good result, but a more consistent, convincing performance would also not go amiss.
Did you know?
South Africa skipper Adriaan Strauss, who has won 66 caps, will retire from international rugby after Saturday's game.
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Liam Williams,10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Ken Owens, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Luke Charteris, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Ross Moriarty.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Nicky Smith, 18. Samson Lee, 19. Cory Hill, 20 Taulupe Faletau, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Jamie Roberts.
South Africa: 15 Johan Goosen, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Jamba Ulengo, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk; 1 Tendai Mtawariri, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Nizaam Carr, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 8 Warren Whiteley.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Piet van Zyl, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Lionel Mapoe.
