Blues duo make Wales bows

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Halfpenny, 19, replaces injured Scarlets wing Mark Jones, while number eight Powell packs down in the back row alongside his Blues colleague Martyn Williams and skipper Ryan Jones.

Ospreys hooker Huw Bennett, who was injured on EDF Energy Cup duty two days ago, is another absentee, with Scarlets' Matthew Rees starting in the number two shirt.

And Wales head coach Warren Gatland has sprung a surprise at scrum-half, preferring Gloucester's Gareth Cooper to the more experienced Dwayne Peel, who has to content himself with a place on the bench.

Behind the scrum, Gavin Henson and Jamie Roberts forge a new-look centre combination - Roberts has already played wing and full-back in his short Test career - while Stephen Jones edges out James Hook for fly-half duties.

There are eight changes from Wales' last game - a 37-21 defeat against the Springboks in Pretoria almost five months ago - with Henson making a first Test start since the Six Nations title and Grand Slam-clinching victory over France in March.

Ospreys prop Adam Jones, meanwhile, wins his 50th cap, making him the 23rd Welsh player to reach that landmark.

Wales have only beaten the Springboks once in 22 attempts, with South Africa chasing a 10th successive victory over the reigning Six Nations champions.