Brian O'Driscoll is fit to face South Africa © Getty Images

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Matches: Ireland 21 - 23 South Africa

Tournaments/Tours: South Africa tour

Teams: Ireland | South Africa

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has been given the green light to start in Saturday's eagerly-awaited clash with world champions South Africa in Dublin.

The Leinster centre had been a major doubt for the game at the Aviva Stadium but has passed a fitness test and will line up alongside the recalled Gordon D'Arcy in the Irish midfield.

As well as the return of D'Arcy at inside centre, there are six other changes to the side beaten by Australia at the tail end of June, the most notable of which is the inclusion of Luke Fitzgerald. The Leinster back suffered a serious knee injury in last year's autumnal campaign but has proved his fitness at provincial level this season and has been rewarded with a place on the left wing, with Ulster's Andrew Trimble the man to make way.

Rory Best has also been recalled after missing the summer tour with an ankle injury, with the Ulster man taking over at hooker from Connacht's Sean Cronin.

With Tomas O'Leary having been ruled out through injury, Leinster's Eoin Reddan will, as expected, wear the No.9 jersey, while Mick O'Driscoll will continue alongside Munster team-mate Donncha O'Callaghan in the second row due to the continued absence of their provincial colleague Paul O'Connell.

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers has named a much-changed side. Bulls flanker Deon Stegmann makes his Test debut in place of Schalk Burger, who is sidelined with a broken rib, while Jean De Villiers passed a late fitness test to start at inside-centre.

Impressive Sharks youngster Patrick Lambie could make his debut from the bench after inspiring his club side to the Currie Cup title last weekend with a 25-point haul. Lambie's uncapped team-mate Keegan Daniel could also debut after Willem Alberts was ruled out with a calf strain.

Bulls fullback Zane Kirchner has been shifted into the unfamiliar outside-centre position following a raft of injuries and will go up against Ireland skipper Brian O'Driscoll.

Bakkies Botha returns from suspension alongside skipper Victor Matfield in the second-row while hooker Bismarck du Plessis and prop Tendai Mtawarira will make their first appearances of 2010 in the front-row.

Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Court (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), R O'Gara (Munster), P Wallace (Ulster) or A Trimble (Ulster) or K Earls (Munster)

South Africa: G Aplon (Western Province); B Basson (Griquas), Z Kirchner (Blues Bulls), J de Villiers (Western Province), B Habana (Western Province); M Steyn (Blue Bulls), R Pienaar (Ulster); T Mtawarira (Natal Sharks), B du Plessis (Natal Sharks), J du Plessis (Natal Sharks), B Botha (Blue Bulls), V Matfield (Blue Bulls), D Stegmann (Blue Bulls), J Smith (Free State Cheetahs), P Spies (Blue Bulls)

Replacements: C Ralepelle (Blue Bulls), CJ van der Linde (Free State Cheetahs), F van der Merwe (Blue Bulls), K Daniel (Natal Sharks), F Hougaard (Blue Bulls), A Jacobs (Natal Sharks), P Lambie (Natal Sharks)

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wal)
Assistant Referees: Bryce Lawrence (NZ), Keith Brown (NZ)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wal)