Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Wales - and particularly Tom Rogers - may have proved against the Al Blacks they can score points.

But the question remains whether they can stop opponents scoring many more.

In 2025, Wales have conceded 368 points in 10 fixtures at an average of 36.8.

By way of comparison with other Six Nations teams, England average 17.1, Ireland 18.9, Scotland 20.9, France 25.6, and Italy 31.9.

Cardiff has already witnessed three visiting teams - England (68), Argentina (52) and New Zealand (52) - score half a century of points this year.

Wales have held their opponents to fewer than 20 points just once since the 2023 World Cup - beaten 16-14 by England at Twickenham.

Tandy was defence coach with Scotland and the British & Irish Lions and assumed much of the responsibility, aided by part-time new coach Dan Lydiate.

And Tandy knows defence starts with discipline.

Wales have conceded 33 penalties in the November Tests so far, with fouls leading to a red card for Josh Adams and yellows for Ben Thomas, Tomos Williams, Taine Plumtree and Gareth Thomas.

"We have to be smarter because we spent 10 minutes in the 22 defending last weekend," said Tandy.

"The bravery, toughness, quality and physicality they put in was outstanding, but we wanted to do that less because you can see what we can do when we're at the other end of the field."

In contrast, South Africa have averaged 37 points and five tries per game from autumn successes against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland.

Gareth Rhys Owen
BBC Radio Wales commentator

There’s this irony that Wales are without those English based players, and the regions are playing today so they’re without those players as well.

I’m looking forward to seeing Rhys Davies, with the expectation of Dewi Lake, he’s the most prototype of a South African player we have. And we need him to step up today with the physicality.

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Probably the most disappointing news this week was confirmation that Jac Morgan will miss the start of the 2026 Six Nations.

The Wales captain dislocated his shoulder scoring a try in the autumn opener against Argentina.

Morgan has undergone surgery and Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said Morgan now faces "four to five months" on the sidelines.

Wales kick-off their campaign away to England on 7 February before home matches against France on 15 February and Scotland a week later.

If his rehabilitation goes well, Morgan could potentially have a chance of returning for the final two games against Ireland on 6 March and Italy on 14 March.

"He's had his operation, it's all gone really well and he's on the road to recovery," said Jones. "He's in that race now to get back as soon as he can.

"It will be four to five months based on what we've heard, but obviously those things can change, we're just working off that at the moment."

There won't be a Haka today but fans will be hoping for more pre-match entertainment that drew plenty of praise from pundits last week.

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Steve Tandy hopes both Wales and the regions can find diamonds from a Test match he admits is "far from perfect" given the timing.

Today game is outside World Rugby's official Test window so Tandy can only select players based in Wales.

But that has also left the regions facing serious selection problems as they return to league action this weekend.

The Wales boss, who was in charge of Ospreys between 2012 and 2018, is sympathetic to their plight.

"It's hard and I've been in those situations, but I think on the flipside it is surprising what you can find," said Tandy.

"It's far from perfect, and I know how tough it is and I am empathetic, but sometimes you can find a diamond.

"It is tough, but I know they are all supportive coaches of what we are trying to do, and we are trying to be really supportive of them.

"It isn't perfect, but we can't change it. We have to make the best of the situation."

Cennydd Davies
Commentator on BBC Radio Wales

There’s more caps on the South African bench than the 23 for Wales, that is one enormous task.

Rassie Erasmus has gone 7-1 on the bench, and that just shows where their heads are at going into this game.

This will help pass the time before kick off.

Can you name the Wales team that shocked the Springboks in 2022 with a first Wales win in South Africa.

We've given you five minutes to name the players that made history. Good luck!

Have a go here.

Image source, Getty Images

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Many people thought the autumn international programme finished last weekend. Some may even have hoped it had.

It has been completed for most nations so why are Wales and South Africa playing today?

It is a controversial match that has been organised by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) outside World Rugby's designated window for international matches.

It has not proved popular with many fans while all four regions are in United Rugby Championship action this weekend without their Wales players.

"I don't think anybody wants the game next weekend, players or supporters," former Wales fly-half James Hook told the Scrum V podcast.

"We are not going to win, are we? How are we going to call it off?"

But the WRU says it can benefit Welsh rugby both on and off the field.

BBC Sport outlines the reasons why the game has been arranged.

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South Africa also make eight changes having released part of their squad back to their United Rugby Championship franchises.

But Rassie Erasmis still names a formidable side that includes captain Siya Kolisi and seven forwards on their bench.

Hooker Johan Grobbelaar, props Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp, lock Jean Kleyn and Franco Mostert - at blind-side flanker rather than lock - come into a hefty pack.

Scrum-half Morne van den Berg, centre Andre Esterhuizen and wing Ethan Hooker get the nod in the backs with Erasmus going for power on a bench which includes legendary lock Eben Etzebeth.

Scrum-half Cobus Reinach - the only back on the bench - is in line to win his 50th cap.

South Africa: D Willemse; Hooker, De Allende, Esterhuizen, Moodie; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Van der Berg; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Louw, Kleyn, Nortje, Kolisi (capt), Mostert, Wiese.

Replacements: Mbonambi, Porthen, Ntlabakanye, Etzebeth, Van Staden, Dixon, Smith, Reinach.

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Wales head coach Steve Tandy has been forced to make eight changes to his starting team through club duties and injury.

Tandy saw 13 members of his squad return to England and France before this game which takes place outside World Rugby's Test window.

He has also lost history-making wing Tom Rogers who suffered a hamstring injury after becoming the first Welshman to score a hat-trick against New Zealand last weekend.

However, Tandy is boosted by the return of Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright while six players - captain Dewi Lake, Blair Murray, Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy, Keiron Assiratti and Alex Mann feature in their fourth Test of the autumn.

The loss of Rogers and Bristol's Louis Rees-Zammit means Ellis Mee - called up to the squad on Monday - and Rio Dyer are selected on the wings.

Centre Joe Roberts and scrum-half Kieran Hardy replace Gloucester pair of Max Llewellyn and Tomos Williams.

Gareth Thomas gets a first start of the autumn at loose-head prop, while there is a new second row partnership of Ben Carter and Rhys Davies.

Ospreys lock James Fender is denied the chance to win a first cap by a shoulder injury.

The return of Wainwright means Mann moves to open-side at the expense of Harri Deaves with Taine Plumtree shifting to blind-side flanker.

Cardiff loose-head prop Danny Southworth is in line for a Test debut from a bench that also includes his club-mate Callum Sheedy.

Wales: Murray; Mee, Roberts, Hawkins, Dyer; Edwards, Hardy; G Thomas, D Lake (capt), Assiratti, Carter, R Davies, Plumtree, Mann, Wainwright.

Replacements: Coghlan, Southworth, Coleman, Ratti, Morse, Morgan-Williams, Sheedy, B Thomas.

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Prynhawn da and welcome to Cardiff's Principality Stadium for the final Test match of the year.

After a pulsating, enthralling and controversial month of international rugby, it is Wales and world champions South Africa who bring down the curtain on 2025.

It could not have been a more contrasting 11 months for these two nations.

South Africa are guaranteed to end 2025 at the top of the world rankings - the third in a row - having won the Rugby Championship and gone unbeaten on this European tour.

Wales will be glad to see the back of another terrible year that saw Warren Gatland sacked, unprecedented loss as a record run of defeats.

There may be some here today fearing another is on the cards in what appears a complete mismatch.

But if last week's display against New Zealand showed anything is that this young team have rediscovered some fight.

With that said, let's take a look at the teams.