The former Munster centre had been expected to miss out through injury but is still a slight doubt and must undergo a fitness test on his troublesome groin before the Saturday evening kick off.
Deon Stegman will make his debut in a side which could feature up to nine changes from the team which fell to Australia in their last outing.
Stegmann, 24, comes in for Schalk Burger in the No.6 jersey. Burger suffered a broken rib in the Currie Cup Final and withdrew from the tour party.
The centre pairing has been a worry all week for head coach Peter DeVilliers and if his namesake Jean misses out, the uncapped Patrick Lambie will fill the number 12 shirt.
At outside centre, fullback, Zane Kirchner is the one shuffled into midfield allowing diminutive fullback Gio Aplon get a rare start in his favoured position.
"It's a new-look side but with 13 season-ending injuries it couldn't be anything else," said DeVilliers after naming the team in Dublin.
"Our hand has been forced in our centre selection."
If they are the Springbok's weaknesses then that is where they end. The tight five is intimidating as ever with Bakkies Botha retuning from suspension to partner Victor Matfield.
Ahead of them the famous front row of Tendai 'The Beast' Mtawarira and the Du Plessis brothers (Bismarck and Jannie) will look to squeeze Ireland's inexperienced props at every opportunity.
Debutant Stegman aside, the pack remains a force to be feared when completed by Juan Smith at openside and Pierre Spies anchoring the scrum.
Ulster's Ruan Pienaar will partner Morne Steyn at half back while former world player of the year Bryan Habana will occupy his normal position on the left wing.
With the dearth of his own centre options, DeVilliers was keen to talk up the Irish challenge having not seen the Boks win in Dublin since 2000:
"They're not only world class in midfield, they are leading country in first phase rugby,"
"They are persistent and never give up."
After a torrid Tri-Nations campaign, it is those virtues the under fire coach will look to instill in his own team in a bid to kick start their defence of the Webb Ellis trophy.
Meanwhile, Ireland's under 20's got the November festival of rugby off to the best possible start after beating Italy 29 -10 at Donnybrook on Thursday.
A first half double from Sam Coghlan-Murray plus touchdowns from Luke Marshall, Alex Kelly and Galwegians back row Eoin McKeon, helped Mike Ruddock's men (decked out in an all black kit) to all 29 points before half time.
With rain beginning to fall, neither side could gather any momentum in the second half, though Italy vastly dominated territory. The terrific first half was balanced out by a second period which offered little to those who are not masochistic enthusiasts for the reset scrum.
South Africa: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Jean de Villiers/Patrick Lambie, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Willem Alberts/Keegan Daniel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Patrick Lambie/Lwazi Mvovo.
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