Wellington, New Zealand: Flyhalf Lima Sopoaga and lock James Broadhurst will make their test debuts for New Zealand against South Africa in their Rugby Championship match at Johannesburg on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Sopoaga steered the Dunedin-based Highlanders to the Super Rugby title this season while Broadhurst was a key member of the Hurricanes side which finished as runner-up.

Sopoaga takes over at flyhalf from Dan Carter, who will be rested after playing in tests against Samoa and Argentina over the past two weeks, while Broadhurst replaces Luke Romano who started both of those matches.

In other changes, Dane Coles returns at hooker in place of Keven Mealamu, Liam Messam starts at blindside flanker for Jerome Kaino, Aaron Smith returns at scrumhalf, Conrad Smith at center and Ben Smith on the right wing.

Sopoaga told reporters after the naming of the team on Thursday he is already nervous at the prospect of running out against the Springboks in front of 60,000 fans at Ellis Park.

“It doesn’t get much bigger, does it?” he said. “(I played in) the Super Rugby final two weeks ago in front of my family and friends, but to be able to carry out your dream at a park that holds so much history - for the All Blacks against South Africa - it couldn’t be a better script.

“I’d be lying if I stood here and said I wasn’t nervous. I definitely am but I think it’s a good thing.”

Head coach Steve Hansen said he was eager to see how Sopoaga and Broadhurst coped with the immense pressure of playing a Rugby Championship test against the Springboks in South Africa.

“We’ve got to learn how they cope with pressure and you don’t get too many occasions bigger than this one so we’ll get some answers,” Hansen said.

He said Sopoaga had “impressed us (with) how quick he’s come in and picked things up. He’s asked some good questions. He only needs to be told something once and he picks it up.”

Broadhurst is “a big lump of a guy,” Hansen said. “He’s about 122 kilograms but he’s very athletic.

“He’s got some good skill sets. The question mark around him when he was younger was is he physical enough? And in the last 12 to 18 months he’s showed that he is.”

Nonu and Conrad Smith will re-establish New Zealand’s most experienced midfield combination while Ben Smith’s selection on the right wing allows Israel Dagg to stay at fullback for his third consecutive test.

The All Blacks opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a 39-18 win over Argentina last weekend.

“This is a massive test for us and one the whole group is looking forward to,” Hansen said. “It doesn’t get much bigger or better than playing South Africa at Ellis Park. Both teams have a massive amount of respect for each other.”