The Springboks named the most experienced team in their history for their opening match of Rugby World Cup 2011 against Wales in Wellington on Sunday.

The Bok team contains a total of 815 caps - narrowly surpassing the 810 caps of the team that played Australia in Tri-Nations action in Durban in August.

Coach Peter de Villiers recalled captain John Smit, loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira, loose forward Schalk Burger and fullback Frans Steyn, whilst Danie Rossouw has replaced Bakkies Botha - unavailable because of an Achilles heel condition - at lock in the five changes to the team that defeated New Zealand 18-5 in Port Elizabeth last month.

De Villiers also named five forwards on the bench with Bismarck du Plessis, Gurthrö Steenkamp and Willem Alberts dropping out of the starting line-up, and onto the bench, whilst Ulster-based lock Johann Muller could make his first appearance in Green & Gold since the third Test against the British & Irish Lions in 2009.

The Bok 22 contains 16 players who were part of the victorious 2007 World Cup squad in France, with eleven in the starting XV.

South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Johann Muller, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Butch James.

Date: Sunday, September 11
Kick-off: 20.30 (08.30 GMT)
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland)), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)