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Johannesburg - England coach Eddie Jones expects the Springboks to lift themselves when they host his side at Ellis Park on Saturday (17:05 kick-off).
The Springboks go into the series-opener with a convincing record at the ground, having won 75% of their matches there since readmission.
Since 1992, the South Africans have played 28 times at Ellis Park, winning 21 times and losing just seven.
The Boks have only met England once at the venue post-isolation, and that came in 2012 when the hosts emerged as comfortable 36-27 winners.
England are also yet to win a Test series in South Africa - a record Jones is eager to set strait.
“We want to do something special on this tour and the players are all incredibly excited about this challenge and the opportunity we have,” Jones said after naming his side on Thursday.
"Ellis Park is the spiritual homeland of South African rugby and the Springboks play to another level on that ground. So, we know we have to raise our game physically early on and be enormously accurate in the way we play."
Jones named a team that includes only seven survivors from a loss to Ireland in their last outing.
Fullback Elliot Daly, winger Jonny May and captain and inside centre Owen Farrell remain from the backline that started in a 24-15 Six Nations home defeat by Ireland this year.
But two of them will occupy different positions for the Ellis Park showdown with Daly moving from the left wing and Farrell from flyhalf.
Props Mako Vunipola and Kyle Sinckler, lock Maro Itoje and flanker Chris Robshaw also started against the Irish as England suffered a third straight Six Nations loss to finish fifth.
The eight newcomers are centre Henry Slade, winger Mike Brown, flyhalf George Ford, scrumhalf Ben Youngs, hooker Jamie George, lock Nick Isiekwe, flanker Tom Curry and No 8 Billy Vunipola.
A calf injury ruled out lock Joe Launchbury, who probably would have been a starter.
Injuries and a need for rest meant Jones had to leave behind many stars, including captain and hooker Dylan Hartley.
"We have had a really good week in preparation for this weekend and we are pleased with the way the squad has come together," Jones added.
"Owen Farrell has settled in well to his new role (as captain), with the senior players supporting him, and there is a good feeling within the camp."
Teams:
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane/Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Wilco Louw/Thomas du Toit, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Warrick Gelant
England
15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jonny May, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Owen Farrell (captain), 11 Mike Brown, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Substitutes: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Denny Solomona
