Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will make his first Test appearance of the season when South Africa face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Kolisi, who featured in a non-cap exhibition match against the Barbarians two months ago, missed the Springboks’ Nations Championship victories over England, Scotland and Wales after suffering an injury.
His return is one of 13 changes to the starting XV that defeated Wales 43-0 in Durban last month.
Only full-back Aphelele Fassi and scrum-half Cobus Reinach retain their places for the one-off Test at the José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The significant changes were expected, with head coach Rassie Erasmus opting to leave several players who featured during the Nations Championship at home as they prepare for a four-Test series against New Zealand.
The highly anticipated series, dubbed the “Greatest Rivalry”, will see the Springboks face the All Blacks twice in Johannesburg, once in Cape Town and then in Baltimore, United States, on August 22.
Kolisi is not the only returning player set to make his first Test appearance of the season.
Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, along with locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, will also return after missing the June internationals through injury.
Etzebeth, who has earned a record 141 Test caps, will add significant experience to the Springbok pack.
Scrum-half Morne van den Berg, another player recently sidelined by injury, has been named among the replacements as part of a six-two forwards-to-backs split.
Erasmus said the Argentina Test provides an ideal opportunity for several returning players to regain their international form.
“This match is the perfect occasion for players like Siya, Eben, Lood, Sacha and Morne to get a tough Test under the belt and get back into full swing at international level,” Erasmus said.
He added that facing Argentina would provide a strong test of the players’ readiness after their respective injury lay-offs.
South Africa have faced Argentina 18 times in Test rugby since 1993, winning 14 matches, losing three and drawing one.
Springboks starting XV
15. Aphelele Fassi
14. Edwill van der Merwe
13. Canan Moodie
12. Andre Esterhuizen
11. Ethan Hooker
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9. Cobus Reinach
8. Cameron Hanekom
7. Elrigh Louw
6. Siya Kolisi (captain)
5. Lood de Jager
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Thomas du Toit
2. Johan Grobbelaar
1. Boan Venter
Replacements
Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Cobus Wiese, Marco van Staden, Morne van den Berg and Handre Pollard.
Head coach: Rassie Erasmus