In light of a casualty list which has ruled out several established front-liners, as expected Joe Schmidt has kept changes to a relative minimum for Saturday's opener to their three-test series against the Springboks.
Thus there are only four changes from the starting XV which signed off the Six Nations with a 35-25 win over Scotland, albeit with a couple of significant positional switches which sees Jared Payne move to fullback – where he has been in exceptional end-of-season form for Ulster – after winning his 14 previous caps at outside centre. Likewise Robbie Henshaw shifts from inside centre to outside centre, where he finished the season so strongly for Connacht. This will be a more demanding defensive role for Henshaw, but should also give him more scope to display his running and offloading game.
In breaking up his preferred midfield partnership therefore, Schmidt has called in Luke Marshall to play alongside Paddy Jackson, who makes his first start since the seasonal opener in the World Cup warm-up match away to Wales.
Up front, the fit-again Iain Henderson replaces Donnacha Ryan, who hasn't had a competitive game for Munster in eight weeks, while Jordi Murphy comes in at openside flanker for Tommy O'Donnell.
The only unchanged unit of the team from the Scottish match is the well-established frontrow of Jack McGrath, captain Rory Best and 'Oul Man River Mike Ross. They were also the frontrow in Schmidt's first match as Ireland head coach against Samoa in November 2013, as were Conor Murray and Jackson at halfback, with the only other survivors in the starting XV from that day being Devin Toner and Jamie Heaslip.
There's a new trio of frontrowers on the bench, with Seán Cronin winning selection ahead of Richardt Strauss, and Finlay Bealham and Tadgh Furlong coming in for the absent Cian Healy and Nathan White. Kieran Marmion, usurps Eoin Reddan as the third Corinthians/Connacht man on the bench, while Craig Gilroy, who won the last of his six caps against Georgia in November 2014, also returns to the match-day squad.
Ireland (v South Africa): Jared Payne (Ulster); Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster), Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster); Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Jack McGrath (St Mary's/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster, capt), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).
Replacements: Seán Cronin (St Mary's/Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht), Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's/Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht), Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster), Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster).
South Africa: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Lionel Mapoe, Damian de Allende, Lwazi Mvovo, Pat Lambie, Faf de Klerk; Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane, Julian Redelinghuys, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Warren Whiteley, Rudy Paige, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel.
