South Africa v Argentina: Rugby Championship preview
Last Updated: 08/08/15 4:03pm
South Africa captain Jean de Villiers will start his first Test of 2015 when his side faces Argentina on Saturday.
The 34-year-old was badly injured in the Springboks' 12-6 loss to Wales at the end of November, and though he came off the bench in the Boks' game against the World XV last month, this will be his first start in the green and gold in over eight months.
De Villiers slots into the midfield alongside Damian de Allende. To accommodate De Villiers in the side Heyneke Meyer has moved Jesse Kriel to the wing at the expense of Cornal Hendricks.
Kriel played full-back for the Bulls in this year's Super Rugby competition, and starred in the outside centre role for the Springboks in their losses against Australia and New Zealand last month.
The inclusion of De Villiers is the only change to the Boks' backline, with Bryan Habana and Willie le Roux completing the back three while Ruan Pienaar and Handre Pollard once again combine in the half-backs.
In the pack, Marcell Coetzee makes a return from injury to claim the openside flanker jersey where he joins Heinrich Brussow and No 8 Schalk Burger in the back row.
Vincent Koch makes his first international start as he takes over from Jannie du Plessis in the front row, along with the younger Du Plessis, Bismarck, and Tendai Mtawarira.
Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager continue their partnership in the second row.
Meanwhile, Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade has made 11 changes to his side for the encounter in Durban.
Veteran Juan Martin Hernandez returns for his first Test of 2015, and takes his place in a backline that has seen only wing Juan Imhoff retain his jersey from Argentina's 34-9 loss to the Wallabies in Mendoza.
Hourcade has reinstated the centre pairing of Jeronimo de la Fuente and Marcelo Bosch, who played in the championship opener against New Zealand but were replaced by Juan Pablo Socino and Matias Moroni for the Australia game.
Hooker Agustin Creevy will once again captain the side, with lock Tomas Lavanini and prop Marcos Ayerza the only other forwards to retain their place.
Both sides have lost their opening two fixtures for the Rugby Championship, with a third loss reducing either side to the bottom of the table as the shortened competition comes to a close.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar; 1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 3 Vincent Koch, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 8 Schalk Burger.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Pieter-Stef du Toit, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
Argentina: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Tomas Cubelli; 1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizabal, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Leguizamon, 8 Leonardo Senatore.
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Matias Diaz, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.
Watch the Springboks take on Argentina in the Rugby Championship, live on Sky Sports 3 from 3.30pm on Saturday.