WALES are eager to take on the Southern Hemisphere superpowers - bring them on says assistant coach Scott Johnson - and within a pretty short space of time they will know where they stand in the world.

Today it's new Tri Nations champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium and in a fortnight it's New Zealand with Romania in the middle and Japan at the end.

Wales go in with a new team and a new coach making his bow at the Millennium Stadium after one game against the Barbarians at Bristol and three more in Argentina and South Africa.

The last game for Mike Ruddock and his men was, ironically, against South Africa, but in Pretoria with a well below strength side and it was little surprise they were heavily beaten 53-18.

Now Ruddock has the luxury of being able to choose from a full squad, he has been bold, lacks nothing in conviction and has told his young guns to go for it.

Apart from the oddity of a record-breaking six Joneses in the side, Ruddock has opted for a pretty exciting line-up, exciting a word he uses often as he wants to get the fans involved and behind the team.

First and foremost, he will want a solid base, a pack which will perform in the set pieces and at the very least achieve parity at scrum and line-out, requirements he regards as essential.

He has no hesitation in throwing in the ever improving Newport-born Ryan Jones at number eight for his first cap, with Adam and Duncan Jones at prop, the former set for a lot more than the first 30 minutes he got with Steve Hansen, with ex-captain Colin Charvis at openside flanker.

He goes for Michael Owen at lock and main middle jumper which puts a heavy responsibility on to the shoulders of a player who has been more at home at number eight. But Ruddock will have put the work in this week to get the right kind of platform from which to launch some talented backs.

He is eager to play the Welsh way, to be innovative and creative which is why he has maintained the experiment of his new captain Gareth Thomas at full back and introduced Gavin Henson at inside centre where Ruddock believes his passing game will best suit the side.

And there is Stephen Jones at outside half, often maligned but so underrated as Llanelli Scarlets are finding to their cost this season after letting him go to France. But will this Ruddock combination be enough?

The Springboks are back in town, playing in Cardiff for the first time for four years and aiming to extend their awesome record against Wales of just one defeat in 17 games stretching back to 1906.

After some years in the international wilderness wracked by internal problems and in turmoil on and off the field when they were comfortably the lowest ranked of the big three in the Southern Hemisphere, they have hit the high spots again.

The catalyst has been new coach Jake White, who even former great Gary Teichmann praises to the rooftops. He appears to have struck the right notes and found the right blend as he guided South Africa to the Tri Nations title.

It's a much more contented squad, the camaraderie has returned and the burning desire to do well is back, all of which can be attributed to White.

Having heard him speak in Cardiff this week, it's not difficult to see how he's done it.

The Springboks have, in the first instance, returned to their former source of strength, a heavyweight pack. They've got some huge forwards in towerblock prop Os du Randt and locks Bakkies Botha, a real monster, and Victor Matfield, a giant of a man.

Then there is new all-action sensation Schalk Burger, a blond bombshell at blindside, with the talented Joe van Niekerk at number eight.

It's a formidable combination and comparing rival hookers, Springbok skipper John Smit and Steve Jones in sheer size this week was pretty painful.

It looks as though South Africa's combined, weight, power and drive will be too much for Wales to handle in what could be a bruising clash.

Then it will be down to an impressive back division to turn possession into points which I reckon they'll manage comfortably enough.

They've got a formidable pair of centres in Marius Joubert and De Wet Barry who will attack Henson and knock him right out of his stride after the defensive frailties he showed in South Africa in the summer, though that was at full back.

Wings Breyton Paulse and new star Ashwin Willemse are like lightning, and at full back there is a certain Percy Montgomery, rejuvenated after his recall to international rugby and sure to call many of the shots with his knowledge of the opposition and conditions.

The Springboks look a fearsome outfit who have rediscovered the will to win.

They come with a very real target of achieving a Grand Slam of Northern Hemisphere successes for the first time since 1961 when Avril Malan's squad performed the feat.

They look pretty mean and determined, and I would back them heavily to beat Wales with plenty to spare and probably manage that Grand Slam as well.