Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said he is wary of the threat Wales posed, but he said the Boks were excited about the clash for several reasons.
“It’s the beginning of the season for us and there are a whole lot of things we are excited about,” said Stick. “We have a few new coaches, exciting young players, and new systems, so we are keen to take things forward.
“We had a good training camp in Pretoria and productive alignment camps earlier in the year, which allowed us to start laying a foundation as we build toward to 2027.”
Zoning in on what the coaches expect from the team, Stick said: “It will be important for us to continue building on the aspects we believe works for us, and to ensure that we do not attempt to try too many new things.
“It’s also vital that we pitch up physically and defend and kick well because those are key aspects to winning matches. So hopefully everything will come together nicely tomorrow.
“We really want to start the season well. We have a long and tough season lined up, so it would be great to do well and start the season on a positive note.”
Stick also spoke highly of Wales, saying: “They are a tough and well-coached team, and they have a strong kicking game, so we have to play well for the full 80 minutes to get the desired result.”