De Villiers kept faith with the rest of the players that started in the 44-31 win over Australia in Pretoria, which ended a four-game losing streak for the Springboks.

In the only other change, utility back Gio Aplon returns to the matchday 22 for Saturday's game at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein, which will decide the Nelson Mandela Plate series.

The Springboks and Wallabies are tied at 1-1 in the three-match series.

Aplon is included on the bench for the injured Butch James after being left out for the test against Australia at Loftus Versfeld last weekend. James has a shoulder problem.

De Villiers said Van der Merwe and starting prop Jannie du Plessis were fit after they were injury doubts on Monday.

Aplon was one of South Africa's impressive performers in its loss to New Zealand on Aug. 21, but was dropped from the squad to make way for returning France-based fullback Francois Steyn.

Rossouw returns to the lineup after struggling with a hip problem earlier in the competition. He made a useful impact off the bench last weekend and will start his first match for the Springboks since a 30-13 loss in Australia on July 24.

“We feel that Danie will be better suited to the type of game we would like to play as well as to what we expect the Wallabies may bring to the game on Saturday,” De Villiers said. “There is still the Mandela Cup to play for and whilst we do not play only to win trophies we do see them as just reward for hard work.” Rossouw will add even more muscle to a Springbok pack which dominated the set pieces at Loftus.

“The lineouts were better but I was really impressed by how well we did at the breakdown,” lock and vice-captain Victor Matfield said. “I was also very happy with the scrums which were a good launching platform for us.” Scrumhalf Francois Hougaard will win his fifth cap and start his third game in a row after a man-of-the-match performance against the Wallabies last weekend.

The South African Rugby Union said the starting team has a total of 750 international caps and is the most experienced in Springbok history.

Eight of South Africa's team has more than 50 caps, two of which — captain John Smit and Matfield — reached the 100-test mark this season.

The previous record was 700 caps, in the team that lost to New Zealand in Wellington on July 17.

South Africa and Australia are battling for second place in the Tri-Nations behind New Zealand, which has already won the tournament for the 10th time.

Australia, which is still searching for its first win at a highveld venue in South Africa since 1963, will name its team on Thursday.