The pivotal 10s

Neither Elton Jantjies nor Dan Biggar is the perfect 10 but the pair of flyhalves will be pivotal to their team's prospects when the Springboks open their international season against Wales at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

SA, like Wales possess a redoubtable kicking game and they very rarely drift from script. That perhaps partly explains why this matchup has produced so many tight contests over the last decade.

Jantjies is in the starting team as Handré Pollard is reintegrated into the Bok set-up and much will hinge on the performance of the left-footer.

As Pollard gets back up to speed Jantjies has the opportunity to increase his game time and conduct the Bok show next to Faf de Klerk who will carry an even bigger burden in directing traffic.

The Boks are likely to put the Wales aerial game to the test in this encounter with a view to spreading their wings as the three-Test series runs its course.

The hosts need a solid performance from Jantjies, not just to boot them into areas of promise but to do the same with support runners.

In this Test however it is perhaps his kicking game on which more will hinge but the same applies to his opposite number.

Biggar will spearhead much of the Welsh effort. It is in Welsh rugby's DNA that their flyhalf dictates matters and that responsibility will perhaps take on more poignant significance in this game as it is Wales' first since the passing of their legendary pivot Phil Bennett.

The Welsh wizard died last month after long illness and as tribute at the ground where Bennett perhaps enjoyed his finest hour while wearing a British & Irish Lions jersey in their 28-9 romp over the Springboks in 1974, Biggar would do well to help guide his side to a famous victory.

Invoking the spirit of Bennett, John, Davies and Co however is not uppermost in Biggar's considerations. He's more intent on proving Wales' critics wrong.

The odds are stacked against the tourists who are yet to beat the Boks in SA, never mind at altitude. They also come off a disappointing Six Nations campaign and the restoration of pride is uppermost in captain Biggar's mind.

Asked what a win in the capital of the world champions would mean he said: “Everything! It’s been a tough couple of months off the back of the Six Nations and I supposed to stick two fingers up to people, without putting too fine of a point on it, would be really nice.

“If you listened to it all we might as well have packed our swim shorts and come on holiday for three weeks. From our point of view we have no control on what gets written outside our camp.”

Biggar stressed Wales need to start well but cautioned his team has to be realistic. “There is no doubt we are going in as underdogs and everything you have seen so far over the last few months ... all the signs point to SA.

“I think as a nation, that’s when we come alive. We want to make sure we put some pride back into the jersey and we didn’t quite do that in the last outing. It will tell you a lot about players and characters and it’s important we start well and get into it.”

Pride will drive the Springboks too. They haven't played in front of their home fans since 2019 when they played Argentina at Loftus and a few things have changed since then.

This time they will run out as world champions and a team that boasts relatively recent success over the British & Irish Lions.

They too are driven by adversity and are often spurred on by events outside their immediate sphere of influence.

The Boks, in the shadow of the Union Buildings, can't switch the power back on, but it is certainly within their remit to lighten Mzansi's mood.

Teams

Springboks — Damian Willemse; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk; Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain); Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth; Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nché.

Substitutes: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies Willie le Roux.

Wales — Liam Williams; Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams, Dan Biggar, Kieran Hardy; Taulupe Faletau, Tommy Reffell, Dan Lydiate; Adam Beard, Will Rowlands; Dillon Lewis, Ryan Elias, Gareth Thomas. Substitutes: Dewi Lake, Rhys Carre, Tomas Francis, Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Owen Watkin.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Andrew Piardi (Italy).

TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)

Kickoff: 17.05