Utility back Quan Horn has been named at fly-half by South Africa for a season-opening exhibition match against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The match serves as a warm-up before the record four-time Rugby World Cup winners host England, Scotland and Wales during July in the inaugural Nations Championship.
A recent knee injury ruled first choice fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu out of action for several months, leaving Handre Pollard and Manie Libbok as the frontrunners for the No. 10 shirt.
But Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus opted to experiment in the non-cap match against the BaaBaas, giving Horn from the Johannesburg-based Lions the nod.
He will be partnered at half-back by dynamic scrum-half Grant Williams, one of several Springboks to recently recover from injury.
There are two uncapped players in the starting XV — tighthead prop Carlu Sadie from Champions Cp winners Bordeaux-Begles and lock Riley Norton from Cape Town side the Stormers.
Andre Esterhuizen was called a “hybrid player” last season after alternating between inside centre and loose forward roles.
He starts in the backline against the BaaBaas, who also faced the Springboks in a season-opener last year, losing 54-7 in Cape Town.
Among those called up by the invitational side is South Africa-born Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe.
Erasmus, a key figure in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs of the Springboks, will name his squad for the three July Tests on Sunday.
Team (15-1)
South Africa: Aphelele Fassi; Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe; Quan Horn, Grant Williams; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt); Franco Mostert, Riley Norton; Carlu Sadie, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ox Nche
Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Paul de Villiers, Evan Roos, Faf de Klerk, Vusi Moyo
Coach: Rassie Erasmus (RSA)
