South Africa have made two changes for their Rugby Championship opening-round Test against Argentina on Saturday in Soweto.
No.8 Duane Vermeulen replaces injured Pierre Spies and lock Juandre Kruger comes in for Flip van der Merwe.
There are also two changes on the Springboks bench compared to the team that defeated Samoa 56-23 in a four-nation tournament final in June in Pretoria.
Recalled 31-year-old halfback Fourie du Preez and loosehead prop Gurthro Steenkamp have forced Piet van Zyl and Trevor Nyakane out of the 22.
Pre-team announcement speculation centred largely on who coach Heyneke Meyer would name at half and hooker.
But after lavishing praise this week on Japan-based Du Preez, who last wore the green and gold at the 2011 World Cup, he kept faith with Ruan Pienaar.
Du Preez, a 2007 World Cup winner, is sure to get a chance off the bench to silence critics who consider him too slow and too old for Test rugby.
Meyer stayed with incumbent hooker Adriaan Strauss ahead of Bismarck du Plessis, rated the best in the world when seriously injured against Argentina a year ago.
Du Plessis was used as a replacement during the four-nation tournament and also had some game time with the Sharks late in the Super Rugby competition.
“Continuity has been the key for us this year and that is why we have opted not to make too many changes,” explained Meyer.
“It is great to have Duane back while Juandre has been doing great work in the line-outs all season long.
“To have someone of the calibre of lock Flip van der Merwe on the bench, next to the experience Fourie and Gurthro bring, is a great situation to be in.
“We have done the hard work on the training pitch – now we have to put into practice what we have been working on.”
South Africa have won 14 of 15 Tests against the Pumas, but were lucky to draw 16-16 in Mendoza a year ago.
South Africa:
Willie le Roux, Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Jean de Villiers (capt), Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar; Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw; Juandre Kruger, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira Res: Bismarck du Plessis, Gurthro Steenkamp, Coenie Oosthuizen, Flip van der Merwe, Siya Kolisi, Fourie du Preez, Patrick Lambie, Jan Serfontein
