It’s All On The Line: All four series deciders. It’s Only Live Once; All Blacks vs Ireland (SS Action 7.30am), Australia vs England (SS Action 10.15am), Springboks vs Wales (SS Action 3.30pm), Argentina vs Scotland (SS Action 7.30pm); all deciding Tests exclusively live on Sky
Thursday 14 July 2022 12:15, UK
Wayne Pivac has made just one change for Wales' deciding Test against South Africa, with Josh Adams coming in for the injured Alex Cuthbert.
Cuthbert suffered a shoulder injury during the first quarter of the second Test and was ruled out of contention earlier this week.
Wales' win in Bloemfontein was their first-ever triumph over the Springboks on South African soil. Adams crossed for the crucial late try and replacement Gareth Anscombe slotted the match-winning conversion.
Anscombe will again start on the bench for the final Test, as Dan Biggar is named at 10 and poised to lead the team out as captain in Cape Town. Biggar was forced off with a shoulder injury in the second Test but is fit for the series decider.
Prop Dillon Lewis has shaken off an elbow injury and also features. Lewis is joined by Gareth Thomas and Ryan Elias in the front row.
Will Rowlands and Adam Beard will again link up in the second row, with Dan Lydiate, Tommy Reffell and Taulupe Faletau completing the pack.
In Wales' back line, George North will start alongside Nick Tompkins in midfield and he's set to earn his 105th cap.
As a result, North will overtake Stephen Jones' record as the most-capped Welsh men's international back of all-time, with only Alun Wyn Jones (152) and Gethin Jenkins (129) having earned more caps for Wales.
Liam Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit and Adams form the back three, while Kieran Hardy partners Biggar at half-back.
Owen Watkin comes in as a replacement and is the only change to the outfit's bench from last Saturday.
"Most people had written us off before we left Wales and to be in this position with an opportunity to win this series it's a great position for us to be in," Pivac noted. "It's fantastic that there's something to play for in this Test match.
"However it's been a tough training week because we've been a bit banged up as you'd expect after two very physical Test matches. So to have the majority of the squad that we arrived on these shores with available is a pretty good state to be in and we are really looking forward to the weekend.
"The atmosphere on match day has been excellent. South African fans are very loud, they support their side and they let you know what they are thinking of the occasion. It's an environment that tests you and the players have so far stood up in both matches.
"We're looking forward to another full house and another crowd that really gets behind the occasion and makes it a special one."
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar (captain), 9 Kieran Hardy, 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Alun Wyn Jones, 20 Josh Navidi, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Owen Watkin.
Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber has made 11 changes for the deciding Test as he reverts largely back to the starting XV that opened the Tour.
Siya Kolisi returns to lead the outfit from the back row, with fellow forwards Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi set to achieve milestones. Lock Etzebeth will earn his 100th Test cap and front-row forward Mbonambi his 50th.
Handre Pollard retains the 10 jersey after playing in the second Test and Jaden Hendrikse will again start outside of him at scrum-half.
Pieter-Steph du Toit is another returnee from the contest in Bloemfontein. Du Toit will start at openside flanker and has captain Kolisi and Jasper Wiese alongside him in the back row.
Nienaber has opted for a six-two split on the bench. Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch are the only two replacements named who played in the second Test.
Faf de Klerk and Willie le Roux are poised to provide sparks in the latter stages of the decider. Flanker Kwagga Smith is another who loves to create magic during broken play given his sevens background.
South Africa: 15. Damian Willemse, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Lukhanyo Am, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Handre Pollard, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 1. Trevor Nyakane, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 3. Frans Malherbe, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Siya Kolisi (captain), 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8. Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Steven Kitshoff, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Franco Mostert, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Elrigh Louw., 22. Faf de Klerk, 23. Willie le Roux.
Every deciding Test is live on Sky Sports Action across the day on Saturday, as the Northern Hemisphere teams all aim to replicate the success they achieved last weekend.
Watch all of the action from the Summer Tours on Saturday, with coverage live on Sky Sports Action from 7.30am.
