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Cape Town - Faf de Klerk is likely to be the only newcomer to the Springbok starting team to face Ireland in the first Test at Newlands on Saturday.
If proceedings at Monday’s training session at Belhar Rugby Club were anything to go by, then the Lions scrumhalf will be the only player in the Springbok starting team that did not feature in the Heyneke Meyer era.
Pieter-Steph du Toit trained at full pace after being cleared of a hamstring injury, but it appears new coach Allister Coetzee will start with Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager in the second row, with Du Toit on the bench.
Frans Malherbe is likely to start at tighthead prop ahead of Julian Redelinghuys, while overseas-based Boks, Duane Vermeulen and Francois Louw, should start in the loose trio.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who is struggling with a finger injury, will only be exposed to contact on Thursday and it is therefore likely that Pat Lambie will run out as De Klerk's halfback partner.
Lionel Mapoe and Damian de Allende could form the centre pairing, while Lwazi Mvovo should start at left wing in place of the absent Bryan Habana’s.
Possible Springbok starting XV - via Netwerk24:
15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira
