South Africa’s campaign to be the first nation to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup kicks off at Wellington Regional Stadium on Sunday when their hardened veterans take on a youthful Welsh side.

Of the 25 matches between the two sides since 1906, Wales have managed one win and one draw, both at home. They have lost their past 12 encounters in an 11-year losing streak.

For their first meeting with South Africa at a Rugby World Cup, Wales are pinning their hopes on their fitness and the ability of their forwards to provide their creative backs with the possession and space to break the hard-working Springbok defensive line.

South Africa have picked experienced players accustomed to applying pressure through a territorial game that squeezes the life out of opponents, with their huge forward pack overwhelming opponents at the set piece and breakdowns, and long range kicker Morné Steyn keeping them pinned in their own half until points-scoring opportunities arise.

South Africa have shown their hand also by selecting a bench of five forwards, including three front rowers, although they will miss the threatening presence of second row Bakkies Botha who has been given at least another week’s rest to allow his persistent achilles injury to improve.

Faith in playmakers

“It’s fairly obvious which way they are going to play the game,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland. “They are going to take us on up front.”

Wales have their youngest captain and second youngest squad at RWC 2011, with an average age of a little more than 26 and a total of 496 caps in the starting line-up. This compares to South Africa’s record total of 815.

Wales 22-year-old captain Sam Warburton is tipped by his coach to join Springbok opponent Heinrich Brüssow as one of the world’s best flankers, while Gatland is also placing a lot of faith in his two playmakers – the experienced James Hook and 24-year-old four-Test rookie Rhys Priestland, who Gatland describes as having “confidence, cockiness and a bit of self belief”.

Priestland will start at fly half and Hook at full back but are expected to share first receiver duties.

The South Africans were licking their lips at the prospect of testing out Priestland, while Hook can expect plenty of high kicks to come his way through the swirling winds that whip around the Wellington stadium.

Criticism shrugged off

Even though South Africa lost all three of their previous internationals in which their starting 15 boasted 700 caps or more, they believe a World Cup tournament favours experience.

Captain and hooker John Smit, flanker Schalk Burger, second rows Victor Matfield and Danie Rossouw and centre Jaque Fourie have all played in three World Cups and know what is required, while South Africa will start nine players from the RWC 2007 final against England.

Criticism that they have held on to their heroes too long is shrugged off by the Springboks as readily as the potshots at their conservative game plan and claims that Smit is out of form and should make way for reserve hooker Bismarck du Plessis.

This match will be the first test of that self-belief and a win would set them up to dominate a difficult Pool D, which also includes Samoa, Namibia and Fiji.