Springbok coach Peter de Villiers included Blue Bulls scrumhalf Francois Hougaard in the starting team for Saturday's Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
It is one of eight changes to the starting side that lost to Australia nearly four weeks ago.
A new fullback, right wing, both centres and scrumhalf make for five changes to the backline. One of the changes is positional, with right wing Gio Aplon moving to fullback in place of Zane Kirchner who is injured.
JP Pietersen, Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh and Hougaard are the four backline players who didn't start in the Test in Brisbane.
They respectively replace Aplon (who moves to fullback), Wynand Olivier (dropped), Jaque Fourie (suspended) and Ruan Pienaar (injured and also on his way to play in Europe).
Hougaard gets his first start after two Test appearances as a replacement.
"He has a strong head and a good rugby brain and we're looking for someone to bring something extra to the team," said De Villiers of the young scrumhalf. "I'm excited to see him trying to cement his place in the starting team."
Up front there are also three changes. Lock Flip van der Merwe comes in for Danie Rossouw - arguably the best Springbok forward on their three-match losing streak in Australasia earlier in the competition; Jannie de Plessis replaces BJ Botha (dropped); and Juan Smith is in place of Ryan Kankowski on the flank. Kankowski is injured.
