South Africa v Italy, Cape Town, 3pm local time.
The French aren't the only team affected by the unusually late finish of their domestic championship. Having depleted the Argentinians in their Tests against Scotland, the Top 14 drain has robbed both these sides of key players. The Boks have lost their captain, John Smit, and veteran fullback Percy Montgomery who will return to France to play against each other for Clermont and Perpignan respectively in a semi-final clash.
But at least the Boks can cover the losses. The world's best second-rower, Victor Matfield, takes over the captaincy and the Sharks Bismarck du Plessis comes in at hooker, while the abundantly gifted Frans Steyn gets his first start of the Test season, at No.10.
The Italians, on the other hand, are throwing four debutants to the wolves, including former Perth Spirit five-eighth Luke McClean. Coach Nick Mallett, the former Springboks coach, must be fearing the worst and he can expect little sympathy from a South African side that will be using this as a final dress rehearsal for the first Tri Nation game, against the All Blacks in Wellington on July 5.
The Boks were guilty of going wide before they went forward against Wales last week, but the scrum looked much more solid with the inclusion of Beast Mtawarira.
The key match up: Five-eighth: Frans Steyn v Luke McLean. Steyn has declared No.10 to be his preferred position, and he should enjoy an armchair ride behind a dominant pack to show that he has more than just a massive boot. McClean has had a season of ARC and a spell at Calvisano to prepare him for the world champions, and will sink or swim very quickly.
The stat: Italian second-rower Carlo Del Favo was born in South Africa and has represented the Sharks in the Super 12.
The prediction: South Africa by 40.
South Africa: Conrad Jantjes; Odwa Ndungane, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Francois Steyn, Ricky Januarie, Ryan Kankowski, Juan Smith, Luke Watson; Victor Matfield (capt), Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Res: Schalk Brits, Brian Mujati, Andries Bekker, Joe van Niekerk, Schalk Burger, Peter Grant, Ruan Pienaar
Italy: Andrea Marcato; Kaine Robertson, Andrea Masi, Gonzalo Garcia, Matteo Pratichetti; Luke McLean, Simon Picone; Josh Sole, Robert Barbieri, Alessandro Zanni; Carlo del Fava, Santiago Dellape; Carlos Nieto, Leonardo Ghiraldini (capt), Michele Rizzo. Res: Fabio Ongaro, Ignacio Rouyet, Jaco Erasmus, Tommaso Reato, Pablo Canavosio, Enrico Patrizio, Riccardo Pavan
Ref: George Clancy (Ireland)
TV: Fox Sports 3, 10.45pm
