The No.8 is one of six changes to the team, including Glasgow’s new signing Ally Kellock, who has earned himself a starting place in the second row.
Glasgow's Andy Henderson lines up at inside centre while Warriors hooker Scott Lawson and flanker Donnie Macfadyen join the bench. Sam Pinder keeps his bench position while Dan Parks drops out of the 22.
Scotland team to play South Africa at the EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth, on Saturday 17 June (ko 3.00pm local time, 2.00pm BST)
15 Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh Gunners)
14 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh Gunners)
13 Marcus Di Rollo (Edinburgh Gunners)
12 Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Simon Webster (Edinburgh Gunners)
10 Gordon Ross (Leeds Tykes)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Gunners)*
1 Gavin Kerr (Leeds Tykes)
2 Dougie Hall (Edinburgh Gunners)
3 Craig Smith (Edinburgh Gunners)
4 Nathan Hines (Perpignan)
5 Alastair Kellock (Edinburgh Gunners)*
6 Jason White (Sale Sharks) CAPTAIN
8 Jon Petrie (Glasgow Warriors)
7 Allister Hogg (Edinburgh Gunners)*
Subs
16 Scott Lawson (Glasgow Warriors)*
17 Bruce Douglas (Border Reivers)
18 Scott MacLeod (Border Reivers)
19 Kelly Brown (Border Reivers)*
20 Donnie Macfadyen (Glasgow Warriors)
21 Sam Pinder (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Ben MacDougall (Border Reivers)
* = Member of Scottish Institute of Sport
Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England). Touch-judges: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) and Simon McDowell (Ireland). Television Match Official: Rob Debney (England)
Saturday's match will be shown live on TV in the UK by Sky Sports with live commentary also on BBC Radio Scotland.