WALES coach Warren Gatland throws new caps Andy Powell and Leigh Halfpenny into the fray against world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium – and he urges them both to go out and enjoy the occasion and have some fun.

It was Gatland’s way of trying to deflect attention away from the new pair while also diffusing the pressure which would otherwise come their way with Powell up against one of the best back row units in the world and Halfpenny facing none other than the jet propelled Bryan Habana.

“Leigh is a youngster who has come on to the scene and is scoring tries, he’s in the team on form and it’s a great opportunity for the youngster.

“It’s a big occasion and I’m sure he’ll do the jersey justice,” said Gatland about Halfpenny, still a teenager and a member of the Welsh team in the Under-20 Junior World Championship this summer.

“With Mark Jones injured we didn’t really have a lot of choice. We could have been conservative and gone with Tom Shanklin or put Jamie Roberts back there, but just because Leigh is inexperienced it doesn’t mean he can’t make the step up.

“He played in the Under 20s World Cup for Wales and he scored a couple of good tries for Cardiff Blues against Gloucester the other week.

“He has looked sharp and very skillful, he can also play at full back and kick goals and thinking about the next World Cup it’s an opportunity to throw him in, to go out and have some fun and enjoy it.

“I just want Andy to go out and put the ball in his hands and enjoy his first cap.”

Apart from drafting in two new caps against the world champions Gatland had other big decisions to make - Stephen Jones rather than James Hook at outside half, Gareth Cooper preferred to Dwayne Peel as his partner and Jamie Roberts at outside centre in his fourth different position in four appearances for Wales.

Explaining them all Gatland said: “We’ve been looking at Jamie in midfield whether at 12 or 13 and we’re not too worried about it.

“Now that Gavin Henson is available it’s a good opportunity to see if that combination can perform, it has potential in defence and attacking wise.

“Jamie’s size and ball carrying against South Africa in the summer was great against Jean de Villiers who is probably one of the top centres in the world. “Jamie has got to meet the challenge head on and give us some go forward.

“Gareth Cooper is the incumbent, he’s been playing well at Gloucester and he had one of his best games in the second Test against South Africa in the summer, we’re pleased with the amount of progress he’s made.

“Dwayne has not been playing quite as well, he had a relatively poor game for Sale against Munster and was taken off in the second half.

“He also had a serious shoulder injury and was injured for a while, and it takes some players longer than others to get over an injury like that.

“I’ve been happy with Stephen Jones’ form, he’s been attacking the line well, carrying and distributing well.

“It was a hard decision, but James Hook can come off the bench and change things.

“We’ve got an experienced bench which can give us impact and change the game if we need that to happen.”