Wales are about to embark on their toughest task of Wayne Pivac's coaching reign with a three-Test series against world champions South Africa, with two of those at altitude.
It is the first time Pivac's men are in action since their disastrous Six Nations final-day 22-21 defeat to Italy, while they have never won on South African soil in 10 previous encounters.
Wales' summer series begins on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria in the 38th Test between the two countries (Wales have won six and drawn one of those encounters), where they will be greeted by a sell-out 50,000-capacity crowd: the first time the Springboks will have played in front of a home crowd since they won the Rugby World Cup in 2019.
Three of Wales' 10 previous defeats in the Rainbow Nation were in Pretoria - by scorelines of 37-21, 53-18 and 96-13 - which underlines how big a task awaits them. There are six survivors in the matchday 23 from the one-point loss against the 'Boks in Nelspruit on their last visit eight years ago.
With the World Cup now just over 14 months away, the time for selection experimentation is effectively over and this series may well provide the ideal launchpad towards events in France next year, even if it starts with short-term pain.
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's match:
What time is Wales v South Africa kick-off?
South Africa v Wales kicks off at 4.05pm UK time/5.05pm local time on Saturday, July 2, at at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
What TV channel is Wales v South Africa on and is it free?
For UK viewers, South Africa v Wales is being broadcast live behind a paywall on Sky Sports Action. The latest Sky Sports offers can be viewed here.
However, extended highlights will be available on free-to-air channel S4C from 9pm with English subtitles also available.
You can follow South Africa v Wales live here.
What's the team news?
Let's start with the hosts: fly-half Elton Jantjies has been named to start in the absence of influential outside-half Handre Pollard due to his late arrival in the Springboks camp after winning the Top14 with Montpellier last week.
Damian Willemse starts at full-back in a world-class backline, which is completed by five players who all started the World Cup final win and the Lions series victory last summer: wingers Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe, centres Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende, and scrum-half Faf de Klerk.
In the front row, Frans Malherbe and Ox Nché pack down on either side of Bongi Mbonambi, with Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager starting in the second-row. Siya Kolisi lines up in the back-row alongside Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese amid injuries to Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen.
Head coach Jacques Nienaber has once again gone for a six-two split on the bench, preparing to unleash his forwards "bomb squad" in the second half. Salmaan Moerat and Elrigh Louw will make their South Africa debuts if they are drafted in as replacements.
As for the visitors, Leicester flanker and Premiership winner Tommy Reffell will earn his first senior Wales cap at openside just a fortnight after helping the Tigers win English rugby's top trophy for the first time in nine years. A baptism of fire awaits the 23-year-old Pencoed product, who has put in numerous immense performances for his club this season.
Dan Lydiate and George North both return to the international arena for the first time since the 2021 Six Nations following serious knee injuries, starting at blindside flanker and No. 13 respectively. Lydiate joins Reffell and Taulupe Faletau in the back-row, while North partners Nick Tompkins in midfield. Wales have been hit hard by injuries during the past 18 months, losing a number of key personnel for long periods, but no-one has arguably been missed more than North. He continues his new chapter at centre following a considerable success in switching from the wing, offering pace, power and a destructive ball-carrying presence. Only Shane Williams has scored more tries for Wales than North.
Kieran Hardy is named as the starting scrum-half as this positional carousel continues, marking his sixth start in a Wales jersey. Dan Biggar captains the side to win his 101st Wales cap. Liam Williams starts at full-back in a back-three completed by Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams.
Premier tight-head prop Tomas Francis, who has been declared fit following a back issue, has been left on the bench - to help combat the 'Boks bomb squad - with Dillon Lewis starting at No. 3 alongside fellow prop Gareth Thomas and hooker Ryan Elias, with Will Rowlands and Adam Beard packing down in the second row for the sixth time together.
Wales are expected to unload their bench in the second half, which features Dewi Lake, Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi and Rhys Carre, with backs cover provided by Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe and Owen Watkin.
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 Nché, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 3. Frans Malherbe, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Siya Kolisi (capt), 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.
Wales: 15. Liam Williams, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 13. George North, 12. Nick Tompkins, 11. Josh Adams, 10. Dan Biggar (capt), 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.
Phil Bennett tribute
Wales players will wear black armbands on Saturday in honour of Wales, Lions and Llanelli legend Phil Bennett, who died on June 12.
What have the coaches said?
Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber: "We have the added advantage of having several players that are quite versatile, so a guy like Damian Willemse for example can cover fly-half and centre in addition to full-back, while Kwagga covers each of the loose forward positions and can even slot in at wing with his Blitzbok experience. Franco also gives us options at loose forward and lock, so we look forward to seeing what this team can produce on Saturday.
"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.
“Wales have been training together for a few weeks now and we have no doubt that they will give everything against us on Saturday. They are an experienced squad, and they have top-class players in their ranks – some of which represented the British and Irish Lions last year – so we are expecting a hard grind of a Test.
“They have physical forwards and backs that spark something from nothing, so we need to deliver a quality performance in order to get our season off to a strong start.”
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac: "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. We think it’s the right time for him and what a great debut to have at Loftus Versfeld.
"Dan Lydiate and George North return for Wales. We’re very pleased they’re back after long lay-offs. 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, it’s great for the group.
"South Africa are world champions. We’ve played them recently in the autumn but we don’t think there will be too much change. They’ve got a very big side, a six-two split on the bench. We don’t expect much change from the way they played against us previously and it’s been very effective for them. We’re expecting a very tough game."
When did South Africa last play in front of home fans?
It has been a long time coming, but South Africa will play in front of a sold-out home crowd for the first time since they were crowned world champions 32 months ago. The coronavirus pandemic meant last year's Test series against the British and Irish Lions took place behind closed doors, and demand for Saturday's clash saw remaining tickets snapped up more than 96 hours before kick-off. The Springboks' overall record in Pretoria is better than at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, where they won the 1995 World Cup under Francois Pienaar's captaincy, which underlines Wales' acute degree of difficulty.
Read next:
- South Africa v Wales exact scoreline predicted as prop needs 'game of his life'
- To comprehend the size of the challenge facing Wales in South Africa, you must first understand what the Springboks stand for
- The verdict on the shock Wales team to face South Africa as warrior returns and giants benched
- 'World-class' Wales giant emerges amid heroic late intervention
- 'He has a massive heart!' Springboks stars pick the Wales players they really rate
- Wayne Pivac reveals he hasn't slept properly for three months after what happened
- Wales team news v South Africa as George North and Dan Lydiate return with Tomas Francis left on the bench
