Ryan Jones says Wales are good enough to win in South Africa

Wales captain Ryan Jones says he cannot wait to pitch his Grand Slam winners against world champions South Africa.

The two sides clash in Bloemfontein on 7 June, with the second Test a week later at Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld.

"I'm hugely excited by it, it's probably the greatest place to go and play Test rugby," Jones told the BBC.

"They're fanatical [about rugby], it's a huge challenge but I'm all for the big tests, the big occasions and the big pressure."

Wales have lost all six previous meetings against the Springboks in South Africa, conceding 266 points, including their all-time record 96-13 defeat at Loftus Versfeld in 1998.

Injuries mean Jones will lead a squad shorn of fellow Grand Slam heroes Gavin Henson, Martyn Williams, Mike Phillips, Lee Byrne, Dwayne Peel and Huw Bennett.

But South Africa have their own injury problems with scrum-halves Fourie du Preez and Heini Adams injured, centre Meyer Bosman out after tearing a hamstring, while star flanker Schalk Burger is also absent.

But despite Wales never having won in South Africa, Jones says that history means nothing.

"We hadn't beaten England at Twickenham for God knows how long before this year and I've always said that what's happened in the past has no bearing on what happens next Saturday," Jones added.

"If we get our preparation right and we perform to the best of our ability, we know we're good enough.

"I certainly believe in these guys, I'm hoping all the guys rise to the challenge and we can make our own history now.

"That's the way it should be and it makes it all the more special."

Springbok coach Pieter de Villiers also has some big shoes to fill after taking over from World Cup-winning coach Jake White.

606: DEBATE I'm finding it hard to keep up with the number of absentees in both Welsh and S African camps simonofsurrey

However, De Villiers' squad will be boosted by the addition of the Sharks players, after they lost their Super 14 semi-final to the Waratahs last weekend.

If the Natal-based province had won through to this Saturday's final, De Villiers would have had just seven days to incorporate the Sharks players into his set-up.

But the 11 Sharks called up will have had a fortnight's training and recuperation by the time South Africa clash with Wales in Bloemfontein.