Wales vs South Africa: Talking points preview as Wayne Pivac's side host Springboks in Cardiff

Jonathan Davies and Siya Kolisi captain Wales and South Africa respectively in Cardiff on Saturday

We look ahead to Saturday's clash at the Principality Stadium as Wales target a fifth successive home victory over South Africa in Cardiff.

Wayne Pivac's team opened their Autumn Nations Series campaign with a 54-16 defeat against New Zealand last weekend.

How will Wales fare without their captain?

Since being selected for his Test debut against Argentina in Patagonia 15 years ago, Alun Wyn Jones has featured in 149 of Wales' subsequent 194 Test matches, starting 138 of them.

Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones is out with a shoulder injury, and is likely to miss the 2022 Six Nations too

The 36-year-old's consistency of performance has rarely dipped, and he captained Wales at the last World Cup, while also holding the world record for most Test match appearances.

Jones is now absent, though, missing the remainder of the Autumn Nations Series and probably all of the 2022 Six Nations Championship after suffering a reoccurrence of his shoulder injury from the summer against New Zealand last weekend that requires surgery. Wales must find a way of managing without him, particularly at the set-piece.

South Africa - a physical opponent like no other

The Springboks showcased on rugby union's biggest stage - a World Cup final - power and set-piece supremacy that is a trademark of their game.

The Springboks focus intensely on the set-piece within Tests

On that occasion in Yokohama two years ago, England had no answer to such dominance, and duly wilted, suffering a 32-12 defeat.

South Africa will start with the same pack against Wales that underpinned victory over Rugby Championship opponents New Zealand last month, and while the home side know exactly what is coming at them - a finely-tuned juggernaut - stopping it is an entirely different proposition.

Home sweet home for Wales?

Wales boast an impressive recent record at the Principality Stadium, particularly against South Africa.

Wales' record at the Principality Stadium is strong, losing just four of their last 21 Tests there

After the Springboks won 16 successive home and away games at Wales' expense between 2000 and 2014, the balance tilted slightly, with the Springboks losing on their last four Cardiff visits and not having won in the Welsh capital for eight years.

Against opponents across the board, Wales can reflect on just four defeats in the last 21 Tests played at the ground, claiming 16 victories and a draw, having toppled England, Ireland, France and Australia - in addition to South Africa - during that time.

Ellis Jenkins' comeback is one to savour

It is three years ago this month that Cardiff flanker Jenkins played his last Test match - against South Africa in Cardiff.

Wales' Ellis Jenkins will make his Test return after three years away following a catastrophic knee injury

On that occasion, he delivered a man-of-the-match performance before cruelly suffering a major knee injury during the closing minutes that destroyed his 2019 World Cup dream.

It sidelined him from all rugby for 26 months, but Jenkins has gradually worked his way back, gaining selection for Wales' autumn squad and then securing a starting place as he is reunited with the Springboks. A special player who has overcome adversity.

Who is Bradley Roberts?

Not even the most scholarly of Wales supporters would have had the 25-year-old Ulster hooker on their radar - but head coach Pivac did.

Ulster hooker Bradley Roberts was a surprise call-up to the Wales squad

Injuries to established squad hookers Ken Owens and Elliot Dee thinned Wales' resources, with Cardiff's Kirby Myhill being called up, then Roberts, who was born in South Africa but qualifies for Wales through his Ceredigion-born paternal grandmother.

Roberts, who is on the bench against South Africa, only made his Ulster debut a year ago, but Pivac said: "We see an exciting prospect. We see him in the attacking side of the game having a lot of skill and a lot of ability. He's got a good defensive brain on him."

Team News

Wales: 15 Johnny McNicholl; 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Jonathan Davies (c), 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Josh Adams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Ellis Jenkins, 7 Taine Basham, 8 Aaron Wainwright

Replacements: 16 Bradley Roberts, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Ben Carter, 20 Seb Davies, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Liam Williams.

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Kwagga Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: 16 - Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn.