South Africa v Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Damian Willemse kicks Springboks to last-gasp win

It looks a gorgeous evening in Pretoria, though it will get a little chilly later as the sun sets on the Highveld evening. The pitch is a little pockmarked, but it really is lovely to see a South African ground close to full again.

You would have South Africa as strong favourites for both today’s game and the series, but Wales have had a habit of producing unexpected performances from low ebbs in recent years. They pushed the Springboks mighty close in November, and while they have never won on the hard tracks of South Africa, you’d be foolish to write them off:

“They are a tough side. The first time I coached against Wales was 2011 and since then they’ve beaten more than we’ve won.

“We can’t play on reputation. It is nice to have the crowds back, it is nearly three years since we last did that. Hopefully we can make the crowd proud.

“They will be well coached, and desperate. They are very good at disrupting your set pieces and they have a big backline.”

This will be the first occasion since winning the World Cup that the South African players will have the chance to relish a home crowd. For their leader Siya Kolisi, it will be a particularly affiriming day after all they have achieved since they last played in front of their fans, and he and his teammates are aware of the threat that Wales will pose.

“They are very important. Every test match is important and in the last one we didn’t perform well. We’ve got used to the conditions.

“We’ve got to be disciplined in our set-piece, stop the juggernaut that South Africa are. We have got to make sure that physically we stand up.”

Faces old and new catch the eye in the Welsh side tasked with rebounding from that defeat to Italy. Joining Taulupe Faletau is one of each: Dan Lydiate may be 34 but could suit a tough battle, while Tommy Reffell is rewarded for his strong Leicester form with a start on debut and is particularly proficient over the ball.

Back at 13 is George North, much missed during the Six Nations and adding further quality to what looks a fun backline. Not starting, notably, is Alun Wyn Jones, now deposed as captain and adjusting to a new role with Wayne Pivac keen for another look at Will Rowlands and Adam Beard in starting lock partnership.

Wales: L Williams; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Adams; Biggar, Hardy; Thomas, Elias, Lewis; Rowlands, Beard; Lydiate, Reffell, Faletau.

Replacements: Lake, Carre, Francis, Jones, Navidi; T Williams, Anscombe, Watkin.

It is a South African side with a familiar look, and Pieter-Steph du Toit the only major injury absentee. Franco Mostert will fulfil his lock-cum-flanker duties, while Jacques Nienaber has looked to the future elsewhere in the back row, moving on from Duane Vermeulen. For now, it is the abrasive Jasper Wiese who earns the starting shirt; the exciting Elrigh Louw awaits a debut on a six-two bench.

There is also a forward-looking approach at full-back, where the versatile Damian Willemse gets the nod ahead of Willie Le Roux. Elton Jantjies is preferred at fly-half to Handre Pollard, who was later arriving into camp after winning the Top 14 with Montpellier. Another potential debutant among the replacements is Salmaan Moerat, who further adds to the Springboks enviable second row depth.

South Africa: Willemse; Kolbe, Am, De Allende, Mapimpi; E Jantjies, De Klerk; Nche, Mbonambi, Malherbe; Etzebeth, De Jager; Kolisi, Mostert, Wiese.

Replacements: Marx, Kitshoff, Koch, Moerat, Louw, Smith; H Jantjies, Le Roux.

Over to Pretoria, then, and for the first time in a long while the Loftus Versfeld doors are fully open as a capacity contingent of South African supporters are permitted in to watch their world champions. The scale of the challenge facing this wounded Welsh side was already massive – but with the fans out in force, it may take something special for Waye Pivac’s side to stun the Springboks.

It is just over 14 months until Wales kick off their World Cup campaign against Fiji in Bordeaux, and a time for selection experimentation is effectively over.

The South Africa series is crucial in terms of World Cup aspirations, and there is no doubt that some players will thrive and others are likely to fall by the wayside.

Pivac has a number of key performers currently sidelined through injury - players such as Tipuric, Ken Owens, Ross Moriarty and Leigh Halfpenny - who will undoubtedly be added to the mix, but three Tests against the Springboks provide an ideal launch-pad towards events in France next year, even if Wales have to endure short-term pain for long-term gain.

Wales have been hit hard by injuries during the past 18 months, losing a number of key personnel for long periods, but no-one has arguably been missed more than George North.

The juggernaut back suffered a knee injury in April last year, ruling him out of the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa and Wales’ entire autumn and Six Nations schedules this season.

Switched with considerable success from wing to outside centre, North offers pace, power and a destructive ball-carrying presence that make him a dynamic force at the highest level.

Only Shane Williams has scored more tries for Wales than North, whose return to the Test arena is keenly anticipated.