South Africa will attempt to beat Wales on their own soil for the first time since 2013 when the two rugby titans collide at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday.
The Autumn Nations Series began in earnest last weekend when Wales suffered a 54-16 humbling at the hands of New Zealand, but Wayne Pivac has a number of new faces available to face the Springboks.
Wales were also handed some nightmarish news on the fitness front this week, however, after captain Alun Wyn Jones, Ross Moriarty and Taulupe Faletau were each ruled out of the remaining autumn fixtures due to injury.
Pivac will still feel his side are capable of toppling the world's No. 2 ranked team, and Mirror Sport has dissected a number of the most pivotal head-to-head battles that promise to dictate whether South Africa can end their curse in Wales:
Dan Biggar vs Handre Pollard
Pivac is hardly unaware of the "huge aerial threat" South Africa bring to the Welsh capital, and if head coach Jacques Nienaber is seen as the captain of their ship, then Handre Pollard is the first mate in charge of ensuring it reaches their destination.
Wales will be relieved to have Saints star Biggar back in the No. 10 jersey after Gareth Anscombe failed to dazzle against his native New Zealand, not least because the former at least has a 2021 win over the Springboks under his belt.
The British and Irish Lions tour didn't end with the result Biggar wanted, however, not to mention there's a sense of unfinished business after he was forced off early in the third Test clash on the tour.
Pollard won this particular war when South Africa bested Wales 19-16 in the semi-finals of the most recent Rugby World Cup. Both fly-halves finished that clash in Yokohama with 100 per cent records from the tee, but South Africa's nous in snatching territory proved decisive.
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Rhys Carre vs Trevor Nyakane
Rhys Carre has never been part of a winning Wales team as a starter, a streak of poor fortune that doesn't have high hopes of ending when faced with a prop powerhouse like Trevor Nyakane.
After chopping and changing their front row during the Lions tour and Rugby Championship, the Springboks appear settled with a line-up that includes Bulls tighthead Nyakane, and for good reason.
Scrummaging has in the past been considered an area where 23-year-old Carre could stand to improve, presenting his 32-year-old counterpart with a chance to gain a key foothold in the penalty count.
Josh Adams vs Jesse Kriel
Following the news that Sbu Nkosi couldn't travel with South Africa's squad due to not having enough blank pages in his passport, centre Jesse Kriel was named as an alternative winger for the Boks in Cardiff.
The 48-cap Kriel has started only twice out wide at Test level, and any shortcomings are at risk of being exposed by Cardiff try hero Josh Adams, who scored eight tries in his first three outings on the Lions tour.
It stands to reason that, despite his own attacking threat, much of Kriel's job on Saturday will concern how to cage Adams, and he's up for the challenge as he said: “I obviously watched him a lot throughout the Lions tour and he’s a quality player.
“I’ve played against him here in Cardiff a few times. He’s quite a big player for Wales and brings them a lot of energy."
Ellis Jenkins vs Siya Kolisi
How else to mark one's first international appearance in three years than by going directly against the captain who not long ago led his country to a historic World Cup triumph and is widely considered one of the world's elite in your position?
That's the task awaiting Cardiff flanker Ellis Jenkins, who will earn his first Wales cap since 2018 against Siya Kolisi, the face of South Africa's rampant success in recent years and a tireless breakdown specialist.
Interestingly, two of Jenkins' five Wales starts to date both ended in victories over South Africa, though captain Kolisi was only in the Springboks' squad for one of those (Jenkins' last Test appearance in November 2018).
Both back-row stars could be considered opensides playing in No. 6 jerseys given their relentless activity around the park, but Jenkins in particular couldn't picture a much more difficult welcome back to the sport.
Nick Tompkins vs Damian de Allende
Another newcomer among the Welsh ranks who will have to hit the ground running is Nick Tompkins, the Saracens centre who could hold the key to so much of his side's success.
As if the idea of tackling World Cup-winner Damian de Allende time and again wasn't daunting enough, he'll also have to find a way of beating a South African line press fast enough to bamboozle any back line.
Some impressive displays for his club so far this season mean Tompkins will hardly be cold coming back to Cardiff, although there's little doubt De Allende presents a step up in direct competition.
Wales team
Johnny McNicholl; Louis Rees-Zammit, Jonathan Davies, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis; Adam Beard, Will Rowlands; Ellis Jenkins, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright
South Africa team
Damian Willemse; Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handre Pollard, Herschel Jantjies; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane; Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager; Siya Kolisi (c), Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen
