Wales vs SA - Preview

Zippy on Wales:

The Wales team has a look of desperation about it with the bizarre return of Dafydd James from the wilderness.

Lee Byrne and Shane Williams complete the three quarters and will need to have big games after stinkers against Fiji.

At centre Mike Ruddock has opted for Alfie and Sonny Parker who played together at the Warriors, oddly Ruddock has reversed the positions they used to play with Sonny at 12 and Alfie at 13?

Stephen Jones will need to be massive and Gareth Cooper is given a chance at 9 which he’ll want to take.

Up front Wales will need to perform the props Horsman and Duncan Jones will need to gain at least parity in the scrum and young Rhys Thomas is given the nod in the hope his throwing will help the struggling line out.

Locks picked themselves really, in Sid and Chateris, there was a call for Jonny Thomas to be put in but his lack of game time in that position was always against him.

The back row is about experience and Colin Charvis will be expected to take a lot of the physical burden so the other 2 can play.

South Africa: Percy Montgomery; Conrad Jantjes, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Meyer Bosman, Michael Claassens; Lawrence Sephaka, John Smit (capt), CJ van der Linde, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Jacques Cronje.
Replacements: Hanyani Shimange, Os du Randt, Albert van den Berg, Danie Rossouw, Bolla Conradie, De Wet Barry, Brent Russell.

Zippy on South Africa:

This side is going to physical and up front everyone will take a look at the best lock pairing in world rugby Botha and Matfield, out wide the centres have been told to impress and Wales will need to look out for the flying Habana. 20yr old Bosman at fly half will need to be targeted.