New coach Peter de Villiers is taking charge of the Boks for the first time

South Africa have made 10 changes from their World Cup-winning side for their first Test against Wales on Saturday.

Lock Victor Matfield and veteran full-back Percy Montgomery are on the bench with centre Francois Steyn replaced by Adrian Jacobs.

But John Smit retains his place in the frontline as captain and hooker.

Prop Brian Mujati and second row Andries Bekker will make their Test debuts, while Zimbabwe-born winger Tonderai Chavhanga returns.

Coach Peter de Villiers will take charge of the Springboks for the first time at Bloemfontein and has shown he has his own ideas with his opening team selection.

De Villiers has made a clean break from the Jake White regime by selecting Luke Watson at flanker.

White consistently overlooked Watson, insisting the 24-year-old was too small for Test rugby.

But the 24-year-old became a controversial and symbolic figure as the thorny issue of racial quotas raised its head, with South African politicians insisting Watson should receive preference because of his father Cheeky's famous anti-apartheid activities.

Watson was added, against White's wishes, by South Africa Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins to the Springbok squad to face Samoa last year when he earned his only previous cap.

In all, De Villiers - South Africa's first black coach - has selected seven non-white players in the starting line-up, setting a new South Africa record.

Of last year's World Cup winners only Smit, lock Bakkies Botha, flanker Juan Smith, fly-half Butch James and winger Bryan Habana will start against the Six Nations champions and Grand Slam winners.

Instead, De Villiers has brought in Conrad Jantjes at full-back, giving him the chance to prove he is the long-term replacement for Montgomery, who is South Africa's most capped player with 94 caps.

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"We had good discussions about the team," said De Villiers.

"But, as they say, there is a time to come and a time to go, and maybe the time to go is closer than expected for some people."

Versatile Stormers back Jacobs has been recalled to make his first international start since appearing against England in 2002, coming in for the talented Steyn who has been left out altogether.

In the absence of the suspended Ricky Januarie and the injured Fourie du Preez, De Villiers has handed the number nine shirt to Bolla Conradie.

The second-choice Stormers man made the first of his 15 Tests appearances back in 2002 but hardly featured during previous coach Jake White's reign.

"Bolla understands his role and we know his abilities and trust in him," said De Villiers.

World Cup winner Montgomery has dropped to the bench for the first Test

Conradie will be joined at half-back by Bath's Butch James, who has been handed the goal-kicking duties in the absence of Montgomery.

In the forwards, Stormers lock Bekker wins his first cap replacing the experienced Matfield, who drops to the replacements as a result, where he will be joined by fellow debutant Mujati.

Matfield handled his demotion to the bench very well and said he was just glad to be in the squad.

"I'm glad the new coach has given me a chance," said the Toulon player, who will be returning to the Northern Bulls later this year.

"Hopefully I'll be able to add something to the team when I come on later. But Andries Bekker had a brilliant Super 14 and was the best number five lock in the competition."

Meanwhile, Blue Bulls back-rower Pierre Spies is preferred to Ryan Kankowski at number eight returning after missing last year's World Cup with a lung disease which almost ended his career.

South Africa team to play Wales at Bloemfontein on 7 June:
Conrad Jantjes; Tonderai Chavhanga, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Bolla Conradie; Gurthro Steenkamp, John Smit (capt), Brian Mujati, Bakkies Botha, Andries Bekker, Luke Watson, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies
Replacements: CJ van der Linde, Bismarck du Plessis, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Peter Grant, Percy Montgomery, Victor Matfield