Boks skipper Smit braced for battle royal with Wales
Smit’s world champions are red-hot favourites to beat the RBS 6 Nations title holders for a 10th successive time. But 78-cap Smit, who has been switched from hooker to tighthead prop, believes Wales will provide a stern test.
“Wales have a good year,” he said. “There is a lot of confidence and self-belief there. They’ve got the game-breakers in their back-line, and they’ve also two nominations for this year’s (International Rugby Board) player of the year award (Shane Williams and Ryan Jones).”
South Africa recorded a 2-0 Test series triumph against Wales during the summer, defeating Warren Gatland’s team 43-17 in Bloemfontein and 37-21 in Pretoria a week later.
But Smit added: “It is difficult to make comparisons between sides that played in June and the one that plays in November.
“We are playing against the team that won the Six Nations in their own back garden, so it will be a massive start to the tour.”
South Africa field eight of the World Cup final-winning side that beat England in Paris just over 12 months ago. Smit, wings Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen, scrum-half Fourie du Preez, locks Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, plus flankers Schalk Burger and Juan Smith will spearhead South Africa’s victory bid in a fixture they last lost nine years ago.
Meanwhile, Gavin Henson’s hopes of beginning his Test match comeback with Wales have been dashed by injury. The Ospreys centre had been selected for a first Wales start since last season’s 6 Nations title and Grand Slam-clinching victory over France in Cardiff.
But after a week of limited training the 26-year-old’s withdrawal was announced after Wales completed preparations at the Millennium Stadium.
He will be replaced by Cardiff Blues’ Tom Shanklin, who wins his 55th cap, with Shanklin’s Blues colleague Jamie Roberts moving from outside to inside centre and Ospreys’ Andrew Bishop joining the bench.
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