Victor Matfield will bid farewell to international rugby by captaining South Africa in the third-place play-off match against Argentina on Friday.
The 38-year-old, who joins Northampton after the World Cup,replaces Lood de Jager, who drops to the bench.
Matfield takes over as captain from the injured Fourie du Preez, who is replaced at scrum-half by Ruan Pienaar.
Bryan Habana, level with Jonah Lomu on 15 tries, is bidding to become the sole owner of the all-time World Cup record.
Matfield, who has signed a one-year deal with English Premiership side Northampton, first retired after the 2011 World Cup.
He returned to action in 2014, but said before this World Cup that he was definitely retiring for good from international rugby at the end of the tournament.
The Springboks – beaten by Japan in the biggest shock in World Cup history in their first game at England 2015 – lost their semi-final 20-18 to New Zealand.
Coach Heyneke Meyer said he had considered fielding a much-changed team but decided to stick to only two changes because he “ultimately decided the team that has grown together over the past few weeks was the one with the best chance of delivering victory for our supporters”.
He added: “Although our aim was always to win the competition, we have the opportunity to finish our campaign on a high and that is what we will be aiming for against a very good Argentine side.”
Fly-half Pat Lambie will win his 50th cap if he comes off the bench.
South Africa: Willie le Roux; JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar; Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield (capt), Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Lood de Jager, Willem Alberts, Rudy Paige, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein.
Argentina: Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Santiago Cordero, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo De La Fuente, Horacio Agulla, Nicolas Sanchez (capt), Tomas Cubelli; Marcos Ayerza, Julian Montoya, Ramiro Herrera, Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lavanini, Javier Ortega Desio, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Manuel Leguizamon.
Replacements: Lucas Noguera, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Juan Figallo, Guido Petti, Facundo Isa, Martin Landajo, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Pablo Socino.
