South Africa rugby coach Heyneke Meyer has named an unchanged starting XV to the side that beat New Zealand last month.

Francois Hougaard keeps his spot at scrum-half with both Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar on the absentee list.

Former Munster man Jean de Villiers will captain the side in midfield where he is joined by 21 year-old Jan Serfontein. The highly-regarded back-three of Bryan Habana, Willie le Roux and Cornal Hendricks remains in place after handing the All-Blacks their first defeat in 2 years at the beginning of October.

Meyer has expressed his satisfaction at being able to announce the same side for successive international matches.

"It's only the fifth time in what will be the 34th Test since I was appointed as Springbok coach that we've been able to select an unchanged starting line-up," he said.

There is one change to the squad, however, with Coenie Oosthuizen replacing injured prop Marcel van der Merwe in the replacements.

South Africa team to face Ireland: W le Roux; C Hendricks, J Serfontein, J de Villiers (capt), B Habana; H Pollard, F Hougaard; D Vermeulen, T Mohoje, M Coetzee, V Matfield, E Etzebeth, J du Plessis, B du Plessis, T Mtawarira. Replacements A Strauss, T Nyakane, C Oosthuizen, B Botha, S Burger, C Reinach, P Lambie, JP Pietersen

Ireland, meanwhile, have a rest day today and we will know the identity of their starting team tomorrow.