BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (Reuters) - New South African coach Peter de Villiers faces a mountain of pressure in his first test in charge of the Springboks against Six Nations champions Wales in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

De Villiers has decided to break up the team that won the World Cup in Paris last year, choosing just five of the players from the final in his starting XV for a game against a side they have never lost to at home.

"The pressure is bloody big. The expectations of 43 million people are starting to fall on my shoulders," De Villiers told a news conference on Friday. "But there are only 22 people who can do anything about it."

Wales coach Warren Gatland, who has spent the week saying his team are merely in South Africa "to earn respect", agreed that all the pressure was on his counterpart.

"Coaching the All Blacks and the Springboks are the two most pressured jobs in rugby and it doesn't matter if the Springboks are playing Wales or Romania, there is always huge expectation on them to win, especially at home and with the added pressure of being world champions," the Kiwi said.

"There is probably a lot more pressure on Peter de Villiers than me. A nation expects, don't they?"

Both teams go into Saturday's test with disruptions at scrumhalf.

Ricky Januarie, the Springboks' first-choice number nine in the absence of the injured Fourie du Preez, has been suspended after a disciplinary breach and replaced by Bolla Conradie, his understudy at the Super 14 Stormers.

Wales, meanwhile, have had three scrumhalves -- Mike Phillips, Dwayne Peel and Andy Williams -- ruled out through injury meaning Gareth Cooper will start just his sixth test in the last four seasons.

"The hardest thing is replacing our international nines, that's going to be our biggest test," Gatland said.

"We're looking for depth in Welsh rugby and then we find the next player is on the bench for his regional side because there are just four teams and a number of foreign players in them."

"And then to have Ricky Januarie withdrawn threw us a bit as well because we had done huge analysis on him, we felt he was pretty key."

PHYSICAL CHALLENGE

Gatland, who faced South African sides as a player and coach of New Zealanders Waikato, knows physicality will be key.

"I have a bit of history with South African rugby, having played here and been here as a coach, and if you take a backward step in terms of physicality then you will come off the field with a lot of points scored against you," Gatland said.

"Our only chance of victory is to match them physically."

The South Africans have been playing under new experimental law variations (ELVs) during the Super 14, but Saturday's test will be played under the old rules, giving Wales an advantage.

"It will possibly be an edge for us, it will be a bit easier for us, seamless if you like. Changing laws has not been a discussion for us," Gatland said.

Teams

South Africa - 15-Conrad Jantjes, 14-Tonderai Chavhanga, 13-Adrian Jacobs, 12-Jean de Villiers, 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Butch James, 9-Bolla Conradie, 8-Pierre Spies, 7-Juan Smith, 6-Luke Watson, 5-Andries Bekker, 4-Bakkies Botha, 3-Brian Mujati, 2-John Smit, 1-Gurthro Steenkamp.

Replacements: 16-Bismarck du Plessis, 17-CJ van der Linde, 18-Victor Matfield, 19-Danie Rossouw, 20-Ruan Pienaar, 21-Peter Grant, 22-Percy Montgomery.

Wales - 15-Jamie Roberts, 14-Mark Jones, 13-Tom Shanklin, 12-Sonny Parker, 11-Shane Williams, 10-Stephen Jones, 9-Gareth Cooper, 8-Ryan Jones, 7-Dafydd Jones, 6-Jonathan Thomas, 5-Alun-Wyn Jones, 4-Ian Gough, 3-Adam Jones, 2-Matthew Rees, 1-Gethin Jenkins.

Replacements: 16-Duncan Jones, 17-Richard Hibbard, 18-Ian Evans, 19-Gareth Delve, 20-Warren Fury, 21-James Hook, 22-Morgan Stoddard.

(Editing by Padraic Halpin)