The climax to the Under Armour autumn series is fast approaching with the Springboks rumbling into town on Saturday. Robin Davey believes Wales coach Warren Gatland must balance competing demands in selection against a South Africa side who are on the way back.
Resurgent Wales go into Saturday’s crucial Test against South Africa with a real opportunity to create history, for victory will give them a clean sweep in an autumn series for the first time.
And that would be just the tonic to take them into next year’s Six Nations and the World Cup beyond that.
But make no mistake, this final international of the year for both sides will be one of Wales’ toughest.
For the Springboks are rapidly regaining their former powers after years of being in the doldrums and after achieving a famous win against the All Blacks in their own back yard they have beaten France and Scotland on their current tour, losing narrowly against England.
Now they face a Welsh team successful new coach Rassie Erasmus describes as the “silent assassins”.
He regards this as South Africa’s most searching examination of their tour, saying, “It’ll be a physical and tactical test, we’re ending with probably the toughest test we’ve faced on the tour.”
The Springboks have based their revival on three factors – their kicking game, a strong defence, and a powerful pack.
They’ve got some mighty big forwards as they return to some of their traditional strengths, backed up by that all-embracing defence and a shrewd kicking game, led by world class outside-half Handre Pollard.
They also possess a dangerous counter-attacking full back in Willie le Roux, presently starring for Wasps, and Wales will have to be alert to the threat he poses. If they kick loosely, they are likely to be made to pay.
The Springboks have also been boosted by the news that captain and flanker Siya Kolisi can play after escaping with no more than a warning after head-butting Scotland centre Peter Horne in last Saturday’s game when many thought he should have been banned.
Wales will aim to consolidate their third place in the world rankings -three ahead of South Africa – behind Ireland and New Zealand, who battled it out in that thriller in Dublin last Saturday.
And Wales go in with the knowledge they have won the last three encounters against South Africa. They have also won their last eight matches which places them third in the list of all-time consecutive Welsh victories.
The big talking point is what team coach Warren Gatland will pick, and whether or not he will revert to the side which beat Australia nearly a fortnight ago. Or, will he include a few of the players from the side which eventually swamped Tonga.
As ever, the No.10 jersey is causing most debate with Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Patchell and Dan Biggar all hoping to get the nod.
Each has their backer – Anscombe, impressing hugely recently with some accomplished performances, Patchell showing signs of returning to his best late on against Tonga, and Biggar the most experienced and probably the steadiest.
It all depends on what kind of game Gatland wants to play.
It’s not just at 10 where the coach now has considerable depth at his disposal.
Scrum-half, lock and the back row are all areas where Gatland has grown his squad and now has the kind of depth Wales haven’t possessed in the past.
Tomos Williams is challenging Gareth Davies at scrum-half, Jake Ball is back in harness and firing for a second row spot, while Aaron Wainwright has added even further to the depth in the back row, which was already pretty extensive.
It all adds up to a really big autumn finale at the Principality Stadium and it promises to be close.
Wales will have to match the power of the Springboks up front and provided they do that they can end on a real high with that historic clean sweep.