In what is his first Test as part of the defending world champions, the Boks have an experienced team, barring three debutants in the form of Rosko Specman, Aphelele Fassi and Jasper Wiese.

The Georgians in their turn said they are not in South Africa to be punching bags.

The Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, said that as a team they want to make South Africans smile.

“As a team, this is what we love doing and it is a privilege for us, so we give everything everyday, and we do everything as well as we can.

“We do sometimes makes people smile and it gives them hope. Some of us have our own stories, and there are people who relate to it, and that gives them hope.

“We’d like to put a smile on people’s faces because many (South Africans) are experiencing tough times throughout the country.

“The game might not make them happy, but we hope it will lift one or two people’s (spirits) because we don’t only play for the Springboks and our families, we play for the rest of the country and people that support us.

“We will play to the best of our ability and give everything out there because we are privileged to be able to do what we love this weekend.”

It’s is only the second-ever Test between the two nations and the Boks beat Georgia 46-19 during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

Kick-off at Loftus Versfeld is at 19:00.

Springboks - 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements - 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Damian Willemse.

Georgia - 15 Davit Niniashvili, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Giorgi Kveseladze, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Demur Tapladze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Vasil Lobzhaidze, 8 Tornike Jalagonia, 7 Beka Saginadze, 6 Ilia Spanderashvili, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 4 Gigauri Davit, 3 Giorgi Melikidze, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Guram Gogichashvili.

Replacements - 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Nikoloz Khatiashvili, 18 Luka Japaridze, 19 Nodar Cheishvili, 20 Giorgi Javakhia, 21 Gela Aprasidze, 22 Giorgi Babunashvili, 23 Irakli Tskhadadze.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport