SOUTH AFRICA v WALES:WALES'S HEAD coach, Warren Gatland, has endured his most testing week in charge since taking over last December. Though his team arrived in South Africa last month as Six Nations champions, last week's 43-17 reverse to the World Cup winners in Bloemfontein makes today's return in Pretoria a defining moment for the New Zealander.
Gatland admitted after the Grand Slam success he had been fortunate with injuries but key players in that success, Martyn Williams, Gavin Henson, Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips, were unavailable for the tour and Bloemfontein exposed Wales's lack of depth.
Three players have been chosen out of position to cover for the absentees. James Hook appears at fullback, a position he has experience of only at semi-professional level; Jamie Roberts, who won his first cap on the wing and his second at fullback, replaces Sonny Parker at inside-centre; and Jonathan Thomas, a blindside wing forward who has played at number eight and in the second row, is given the task of filling in for Williams on the open side.
Gatland and his defence coach, Shaun Edwards, were appalled at the ease with which South Africa last week broke a defence that had conceded only two tries in the Six Nations. They have gone for greater physical presence, Roberts charged with shoring up midfield and the Gloucester number eight Gareth Delve brought into the back row, with Ryan Jones moving to the blindside.
"South Africa were physical in the midfield last week and we felt the need to put Jamie there," said Gatland. "South Africa won the collisions and, if you do that, you tend to win the match. We were not smart enough in the first Test and we are going to find out how the players have responded mentally to that disappointment."
Hook said he was prepared for a bombardment of high kicks from the South Africa outhalf, Butch James. "I am an outside-half myself and I hope to be able to read his play," he continued. "I have only ever played at fullback a couple of times in my Neath days but I would far rather be on the pitch than sitting on the bench."
The squad endured gruelling training earlier in the week.
"We have had to deal with the mental demons," said Jones, the captain. "It is always difficult when you do not win, especially so after the manner in which we lost."
Ten years ago, when Gatland was in South Africa with Ireland, Wales suffered their heaviest ever Test defeat when they were thrashed 96-13 in Pretoria. The Wales outhalf today, Stephen Jones, made his debut that day.
South Africa have made four changes from Bloemfontein as their coach, Peter de Villiers, looks at his forward options. Victor Matfield returns to the second row, both props are replaced and Ricky Januarie returns at scrumhalf after being dropped last week on disciplinary grounds. "We expect Wales to come out blasting," said De Villiers. "We know they will have been working on their shortcomings and we decided to get our big guns out from the start."
The home side have the stronger bench, with Percy Montgomery, Francois Steyn and Ryan Kankowski among its occupants.
De Villiers will look to draw Wales's fire and unleash runners in the final quarter and, while Wales will not be passive again, the absence of Byrne, Williams, Henson and Phillips leaves them vulnerable in key areas.
Guardian Service
SOUTH AFRICA:15 C Jantjes; 14 T Chavhanga, 13 A Jacobs, 12 J de Villiers, 11 B Habana; 10 B James, 9 E Januarie; 1 T Mtawarira, 2 J Smit, 3 BJ Botha; 4 B Botha, 5 V Matfield; 6 L Watson, 7 J Smith, 8 P Spies.
WALES:15 J Hook; 14 M Jones, 13 T Shanklin, 12 J Roberts, 11 S Williams; 10 S Jones, 9 G Cooper; 1 G Jenkins, 2 R Hibbard, 3 R Thomas; 4 I Gough, 5 A-W Jones; 6 R Jones (capt), 7 J Thomas, 8 G Delve.
Referee:L Bray (New Zealand).
