Graham Price names his Wales pack to take on South Africa with massive call needed by Pivac over Alun Wyn Jones

How many times have we heard the rugby saying 'It starts up front'?

That has been the case for every successful team the game has produced. Including the thrilling Welsh side of the 1970s.

When we look back at videos of those halcyon days, 101 Best Welsh Tries or The Crowning Years, there were, indeed, some truly wonder scores from our glittering array of backs. But what the videos don't show is that most of those tries came towards the end of matches after the foundations had been put in place by the pack.

There was open, flowing and romantic Welsh rugby, unlike during Warren Gatland's Warrenball era, I'd say, but only after the opposition began to crumble following a no-holds barred forward slugfest and the game could finally open up. Particularly with players like Gareth Edwards and Phil Bennett, who could spot and exploit a gap from even inside our own 22.

So the forwards have always been the real key in any rugby match - though as a grizzled old prop I would say that, wouldn't I? South Africa in recent times, however, have taken things onto another level again.

Their entire game, the one that made them world champions, is based upon big powerful and consistently aggressive forwards, who do exactly what big powerful and consistently aggressive forwards do well. Take on the opposition up front, strong and hugely effective set-piece, eventually batter them into submission.

They cause havoc in the scrum and have the best driving lineout of the lot. It's incredible how often their hooker Malcolm Marx ends up with the ball at the tail and scores a try from them.

They even have the luxury of starting with their second-string front row, which is stronger than most teams' first choice trio, before bringing on the Bomb Squad