Coach de Villiers has named a side boasting a staggering 815 Test caps – a tally which just pips the previous record of 810 caps when the Boks face Australia in Durban in August.
John Smit, under fierce pressure from in-form hooker Bismarck Du Plessis, will lead the side into battle in a starting XV which sees five changes to the side that defeated New Zealand 18-5 in Port Elizabeth last month.
Along with the recalled Smit, loose-head prop Tendai Mtawarira, loose forward Schalk Burger and fullback Frans Steyn return while Danie Rossouw replaces Bakkies Botha with the veteran lock sidelined with an Achilles heel problem.
Surprisingly, Villiers has gone for a five-two split on the bench with Bismarck du Plessis, Gurthrö Steenkamp and Willem Alberts dropping out of the starting line-up while Ulster-based lock Johann Muller could make his first appearance since the third Test against the British & Irish Lions in 2009.
The 22 contains 16 players who were part of the victorious 2007 squad, with 11 in the starting 15.
South Africa: Frans Steyn; JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean De Villiers, Bryan Habana; Morné Steyn, Fourie Du Preez; Tendai Mtawarira, John Smit (c), Jannie Du Plessis, Danie Rossouw, Victor Matfield, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger, Pierre Spies
Replacements: Bismarck Du Plessis, Gurthrö Steenkamp, CJ van der Linde, Johan Muller, Willem Alberts, Francois Hougaard, Butch James
