Wales v South Africa: Springboks unchanged for Cardiff Test

Eben Etzebeth has been in training this week, but is named on the bench

South Africa have stuck with the team that beat Scotland 26-20 for Saturday's autumn Test with Wales in Cardiff.

Lock Eben Etzebeth is named on the bench after recovering from an injury suffered against England on 3 November.

The Springboks bounced back from that 12-11 defeat at Twickenham to beat France and Scotland.

Wales have won their past three meetings with South Africa, and are on an eight-match winning run in all Tests.

Jesse Kriel will play in his 40th Test match for the Springboks and he lines up next to Damian de Allende in the midfield.

Fly-half Handre Pollard will be a major threat for the Springboks after scoring 18 points against the Scots, while Siya Kolisi will captain the team after being cleared to play despite an off-the-ball incident at Murrayfield.

Kolisi escaped with an official warning after World Rugby's citing commissioner deemed an incident of an apparent head-butt on Peter Horne was to be "just short" of a red card.

"It was not in my hands and I will always respect what World Rugby says," said Kolisi.

"I just waited and when they told me I was very happy.

"I would never do something on purpose to hurt someone else and it would hurt my team if I did something stupid like that because I would have been taken off the field.

"My record shows I am clean and I have never done anything."

Director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is confident, but talking up his team's opponents.

"Wales have a formidable squad and their current run of eight unbeaten Tests is proof and also an indication of their good form at the moment," he said.

"They are a well-balanced and strong side with a great home record so our boys will be in for a massive contest on Saturday.

"We will be desperate to win, and to end the tour on a high would be fantastic for the experience and growth of this squad."

South Africa: Willie le Roux; Sbu Nkosi, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi; Handré Pollard, Embrose Papier; Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe, RG Snyman, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Louw, Ivan van Zyl, Elton Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe