Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland hopes Wales will “right the wrongs” of last week’s 38-16 thumping at the hands of the Springboks, when the teams play their second Test in Nelspruit on Saturday.
“We have been really happy with the response from the players during training this week, we have had a good week and we see Saturday as an opportunity to right the wrongs of last weekend,” said Gatland, announcing two changes to the side that got hammered in Durban.
“We were disappointed with last week’s display but we want to finish the season with a big performance and show what we know we are capable of.”
Scarlets’ prop Samson Lee will make his first start and flanker Josh Turnbull comes into the starting XV from the bench for the second and final Test.
“It’s a great opportunity for Samson and Josh and they deserve the chance after impressing from the bench last weekend,” said Gatland.
The Boks will be looking to capitalise on a great start to their 2014 campaign.
They will again be captained by Victor Matfield, who will on Saturday become South Africa’s most-capped player earning his 112th Test cap at the Mbombela Stadium.
Matfield made his Test debut back in June 2001 against Italy in Port Elizabeth.
He retired after the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011 on 110 caps, but made a highly successful return to the game earlier this year.
The 37-year-old powerhouse was named as skipper of an experienced Springbok starting line-up which shows two changes from the team which beat Wales.
Both changes are in the pack, where Tendai Mtawarira returns at loosehead prop, with Gurthr Steenkamp reverting to the bench, while Flip van der Merwe will partner Matfield in the second row in the place of Bakkies Botha.
Teams:
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (Captain), 4 Flip van der Merwe ,3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Wynand Olivier, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Josh Turnbull, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Captain), 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Paul James, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Dan Baker, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 James Hook, 23 Matthew Morgan.