Wales have been warned by Springboks coach Allister Coetzee that the recovery in South African rugby will start on Saturday.
Coetzee has ripped his team apart after their defeat to Italy last week with seven changes, including three new caps.
In a seismic move, Springboks legend Bryan Habana has been dropped for the first time in his 124-cap career.
Wales have plenty of their own problems, but South Africa will have suffered the worst calendar year in their history if they lose at the Principality Stadium and suffer their eighth defeat of 2016.
But ahead of his team’s final Test of their tour, Coetzee insisted: “Our rugby is rock bottom at the moment, and there can only be one way – up.
“I am really positive about the future. I back this young team fully, and I will be really pleased if they give their all and leave nothing out there.”
The inclusion of rookie Jamba Ulengo ahead of Habana was a surprise but Coetzee insisted Habana still has an international future – despite his axing.
“I would not go as far as saying this is the end for Bryan,” Coetzee said. “He has not just got a role on the field but a massive one off it for South African rugby and he has been mentoring Jamba this week, sharing his knowledge and experience. At the beginning of the season, I talked to Bryan about the role I wanted him to play and now we have to review that.
“This season has been the lowest of the lows and the only way is up. On Monday, players were hurting following the loss to Italy and it was very morbid. We had the day off to get on with psychological repair and I could see in training the next day we had moved on.
“We are seeking revival, not redemption and I want the guys to play without fear against Wales and enjoy it. I think there was a fear of failure against Italy which showed itself in overthinking but there is a different mindset this week.”
While Wales fret over how to manage selection policy when players decide to play elsewhere, the Springboks appear to have gone for a home-rule policy.
Even though they have been picking players who play outside of South Africa, they have selected just one – Racing 92 full-back Johan Goosen – to face Wales.
Ulengo is joined by fellow new cap Rohan Janse van Rensburg, who replaces Damian de Allende in midfield, with Uzair Cassiem, the third debutant in the XV, taking over from injured loose forward Willem Alberts.
A revamped backline sees the return of Francois de Klerk at scrum-half and Elton Jantjies at fly-half while Goosen starts at fullback in place of Willie le Roux.
South Africa team v Wales
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, 5.30pm Saturday J Goosen; R Combrinck, F Venter, R Janse van Rensburg, J Ulengo; E Jantjies, F de Klerk; T Mtawarira, A Strauss (capt), L Adriaanse, PS du Toit, L de Jager, N Carr, U Cassiem, W Whiteley. Replacements M Marx, S Kitshoff, T Nyakane, F Mostert, J-L du Preez, P van Zyl, P Lambie, L Mapoe.