Japan full-back William Tupou is ruled out having suffered a concussion against Scotland last weekend – Ryohei Yamanaka, who started in the rousing win against Ireland, wears the No 15 shirt instead.
Meanwhile tight-head prop Jiwon Koo is fit after a rib injury forced him off against Scotland, while forward Amanaki Mafi is restored to the bench. Inspirational captain Michael Leitch will lead the charge.
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has named six forwards on his replacements bench which suggests an attritional, power-based game plan. But with strike runners in the class of Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi, they will surely be looking to play some rugby too.
Francois de Klerk is an influential scrum-half who evokes memories of Fourie du Preez, the No 9 that did so much to steer them to World Cup glory in 2007. At fly-half the creative hands and thunderous boot of Handre Pollard will run the show.
“The match 23 is probably our best – in-form, fit players,” Erasmus said. “To nullify the space around the tight forwards, with the pace that they have, and to play towards our strengths, which is physical rugby, set phases, mauling, scrums. We will try to play the game at our pace – they will try to play the game at theirs.”
They certainly will.
Japan: 15. Ryohei Yamanaka, 14. Kotaro Matsushima, 13. Timothy Lafaele, 12. Ryoto Nakamura, 11. Kenki Fukuoka, 10. Yu Tamura, 9. Yutaka Nagare, 8. Kazuki Himeno, 7. Pieter Labuschagne, 6. Michael Leitch (captain), 5. James Moore, 4. Luke Thompson, 3. Koo Ji-won, 2. Shota Horie, 1. Keita Inagaki.
Replacements: 16. Atsushi Sakate, 17. Isileli Nakajima, 18. Asaeli Ai Valu, 19. Wimpie van der Walt, 20. Amanaki Lelei Mafi, 21. Fumiaki Tanaka, 22. Rikiya Matsuda, 23. Lomano Lava Lemeki.
South Africa: 15. Willie le Roux, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Lukhanyo Am, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Handré Pollard, 9. Faf de Klerk, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Lood de Jager, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 1. Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Steven Kitshoff, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. RG Snyman, 20. Franco Mostert, 21. Francois Louw, 22. Herschel Jantjies, 23. Frans Steyn.
