Halfback Fourie du Preez and loose forward Heinrich Brüssow return to the Springbok starting line-up for the first time in 21 months, following the announcement of the team to meet Australia in their Tri-Nations clash in Durban this weekend.
The pair missed the entire 2010 season because of injury but were among 13 changes Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was able to make to the starting line-up that lost 40-7 to the All Blacks in Wellington a fortnight ago.
The starting 15 is the most experienced in the history of Springbok rugby with a combined total of 810 caps, comfortably surpassing the previous record of 750 caps among the team that met Australia in Bloemfontein last season.
Captain John Smit and loose forward Danie Rossouw are the only survivors in the starting 15 from Wellington; another three players in Morne Steyn, Jean Deysel and Gerhard Mostert have been retained among the replacements.
The selection also marks the return for the first time in a year of another four players - JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Butch James and Gurthrö Steenkamp - who all missed the end-of-year tour because of injury.
De Villiers says they still have a number of leading players unavailable through injury but this is the strongest squad they've been able to choose from since 2009.
Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Willem Alberts and uncapped Duane Vermeulen remain in rehabilitation while Andries Bekker has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup because of an ankle tendon injury.
The team is: Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Danie Rossouw, Heinrich Brussow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Jannie du Plessis, John Smit, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Bismarck du Plessis, Guthro Steenkamp, Gerhard Mostert, Jean Deysel, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Gio Aplon.
