South Africa and Ireland on Friday (10th June) prepared for first Test at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday (11th June).

Even with the Springboks under a new coach, a new captain, and pressure from their own government, Ireland will still be hard-pressed for a first Test win in South Africa because of the absence of a string of regulars.

Fly-half Johnny Sexton will probably be the biggest miss for a depleted Ireland in the three-match series starting in Cape Town on Saturday, but the absence of players such as Sean O'Brien, Rob Kearney and Simon Zebo will also be felt.

Paddy Jackson will play at number 10 in place of Sexton in the first Test, his first start since a World Cup warm-up last year.

However, while Jackson will carry the responsibility of being Ireland's playmaker, the pre-series attention has landed on South Africa-born flanker CJ Stander, who returns to the country of his birth to face former team-mates, having once been rated as a future prospect for the Springboks.

The Springboks play under Adriaan Strauss and coach Allister Coetzee for the first time, and are facing a post-World Cup transition without key players such as Victor Matfield who has retired.

Strauss says that Ireland, despite the injuries will be a tough test.

SOUNDBITE: Adriaan Strauss, South Africa captain:

"I think it is a very good squad, a very good team. Of course they got a couple of injuries and a couple of guys that is not here. But we said it earlier this week as well, when you play for your country, especially a proud nation as Ireland, you will make that step up and it is a very good team with great individuals and they looking pretty good."

Coetzee's appointment in April was accompanied by an expectation that South Africa's rugby team would change in another way and give more opportunities to non-white players, a long-running issue which was brought to the forefront when the sports ministry this year announced sanctions against the South African Rugby Union for not meeting "transformation" targets.

Coetzee, who is black, selected six non-white players in his first starting 15, and 10 in the 23, a sign of change for the Springboks on that front.