Wales will hope to put their World Cup failure behind them on Saturday when they face world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Wales were effectively knocked out of the World Cup by Fiji in their winner-takes-all group match and have the chance to make amends against a Springboks side coached for the last time by Jake White.

The loss to Fiji cost former coach Gareth Jenkins his job so Nigel Davies takes charge for this one-off Test before New Zealander Warren Gatland arrives next month to start a full-time position.

Davies, who has recalled the controversial Gavin Henson to his starting XV, believes Wales have enough talent to cause an upset.

"It is obviously a tough prospect," said Davies, who also named a new skipper in prop Gethin Jenkins.

"But we are playing at home in front of a baying crowd, and we have a magnificent opportunity to make a statement that will reverberate around world rugby.

"This Wales team is good enough to do something special on Saturday."

Davies has named Henson alongside Ospreys team-mates James Hook, at stand-off, and Sonny Parker at outside centre and believes the trio have the potential to cause an upset.

Hook was chosen ahead of former skipper Steven Jones, who has since withdrawn from the match-day 22 with a thigh injury.

"It is a pretty exciting, new-look backline which I am sure can make South Africa stand up and take notice," Davies added.

"Gavin's partnership with both James Hook and Sonny Parker at the Ospreys has been going well of late, which is the main reason for going with that combination."

The loss to injury of Lee Byrne sees Morgan Stoddard win a first cap, while up front prop Rhys Thomas gets his first start in a Wales jersey.

White's squad has been hampered by injury but he is still able to name nine of the side that lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy in Paris last month.

Among those unavailable are Percy Montgomery, Victor Matfield, Os du Randt and Butch James, but White's starting XV should still be too strong for a Wales side in transition.

Apart from number eight Ryan Kankowski, who wins his first cap, South Africa have experience in every position.

Their backline includes speed and talent in the shape of Bryan Habana, Francois Steyn, Jaque Fourie and JP Pietersen, while up front skipper John Smit, lock Bakkies Botha and flankers Schalk Burger and Juan Smith will take some stopping.

Wales: 15-Morgan Stoddart; 14-Mark Jones, 13-Sonny Parker, 12-Gavin Henson, 11-Tom Shanklin; 10-James Hook, 9-Dwayne Peel: 1-Gethin Jenkins (capt), 2-Huw Bennett, 3-Rhys Thomas, 4-Alun-Wyn Jones, 5-Ian Evans, 6-Colin Charvis, 7-Robin Sowden-Taylor, 8-Jonathan Thomas.

Replacements: 16-T Rhys Thomas, 17-Duncan Jones, 18-Luke Charteris, 19-Alix Popham, 20-Mike Phillips, 21-Ceri Sweeney, 22-Tom James.

South Africa: 15-Ruan Pienaar ; 14-JP Pietersen, 13-Jaque Fourie, 12-Francois Steyn, 11-Bryan Habana; 10-Andre Pretorius, 9-Ricky Januarie; 8-Ryan Kankowski, 7-Juan Smith, 6-Schalk Burger, 5-Johann Muller, 4-Bakkies Botha, 3-Jannie Du Plessis, 2-John Smit (capt), 1-CJ van der Linde.

Replacements: 16-Bismarck du Plessis, 17-Heinke van der Merwe, 18-Albert van den Berg, 19-Hilton Lobberts, 20-Wynand Olivier, 21-Conrad Jantjes, 22-Akona Ndungane.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport