Wales take on South Africa on Sunday for a place in the Rugby World Cup final, hoping they can reverse their quarterfinal result from four years ago when a late try by then Suntory Sungoliath scrumhalf Fourie du Preez saw the Springboks home 23-19 at Twickenham Stadium in London.

But as Wales coach Warren Gatland pointed out, his team will go into Sunday's game at International Stadium Yokohama (Nissan Stadium) with confidence, knowing they have won their past four tests against the two-time world champions, after winning only two of the first 31.

"I can't understand why people would write us off when our record against South Africa has been pretty good in the last four or five years. That speaks for itself," he said.

Gatland has made three changes from the starting XV that defeated France 20-19 in the quarterfinals.

Center Jonathan Davies returns from injury, replacing Owen Watkin, who drops to the bench, Ross Moriarty replaces the injured Josh Navidi at No. 8 and Leigh Halfpenny comes in at 15 for the injured Liam Williams, who has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury.

(Jonathan Davies (C) of Wales runs with the ball)

Left-wing Josh Adams is the joint-top try scorer of this World Cup with five tries alongside South Africa's Makazole Mapimpi and Japan's Kotaro Matsushima.

"Going into Sunday's game it is going to be a tight game and we saw that the first half of the South Africa-Japan was a tight game," Gatland said.

"It will probably be a kicking fest. They kicked 30 times against Japan so we've got to handle their game."

"It won't be the prettiest game in the world. It will be a tight test match with probably teams playing for territory depending on what the weather is like."

"The ball will go in the air and we have got to be able to handle that and they have got to be able to handle our game as well."

After knocking out hosts Japan in the quarterfinals, South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has made just one change to his starting XV with the injured Cheslin Kolbe replaced by S'Busiso Nkosi on the right wing.

(S'busiso Nkosi (C) of South Africa evades a tackle by Jeff Hassler (14) of Canada)

There are eight changes from the Springboks side that lost 20-11 to Wales in November 2018, the remaining players being prop Frans Malherbe, back-rowers Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen, flyhalf Handre Pollard, center Damian de Allende and fullback Willie Le Roux.

Erasmus has once again loaded his bench with forwards as the Boks look to play to their traditional strengths.

"We've got that threat (attacking backs) loaded, but if your boys are mauling and handling the set piece like our boys are at the moment, you are not going to stop. You are not going to fix something that's not broken, or change anything" flyhalf Handre Pollard said.

"Lately, we've struggled against (Wales). It's always our last game on the end-of-year tour, after a long season and in the Millennium Stadium."

"It's always tough, and you never have all your guys fit and ready to go. So, it's going to be nice to play them on a neutral ground, with the teams having most of their guys available for selection."

With a number of the South Africa team having played for, or set to join, Japan Rugby Top League sides, the Boks are likely to be the favorites among the local fans in Yokohama.

But the Welsh, who have yet to play in a World Cup final, are hoping to send Gatland off in style.

The New Zealander announced in June he would be leaving post tournament after 12 years in charge to return home to coach the Chiefs.

Captain Alun Wyn Jones said the team wanted to make history for their coach.

"Somebody asked about this week and how much planning has gone into it -- that planning process has been continual and we have two games left to do something he has not done yet," Jones said.