Joe Launchbury will make his first Test start for England after Stuart Lancaster made six changes for Saturday's autumn international against South Africa.

The 21-year-old lock has replaced Wasps club-mate Tom Palmer from the second row as part of a forward reshuffle that has seen the head coach change half his pack from the 20-14 defeat to Australia.

The loosehead prop Alex Corbisiero, blindside flanker Tom Wood and No8 Ben Morgan will all make their first starts of the autumn campaign. For Wood it is a first start since the World Cup after finally overcoming a toe injury and his selection epitomises the "warrior spirit" Lancaster has said he wants in his pack.

In the backs, Mike Brown starts on the left wing with England once again employing the tactic of two full-backs in a bid to combat the Springboks' aerial game. Lancaster recognises the danger of allowing South Africa's direct runners an attacking platform in the England 22 and Brown offers reliability under the high ball and a strong left boot.

In the nip-and-tuck battle for the scrum-half jersey, Ben Youngs has been preferred to Danny Care primarily because the England management feel he also offers a better kicking game.

Manu Tuilagi and Brad Barritt continue in the centres, meaning Jonathan Joseph returns to the England fold on the bench along with the versatile loose-forward James Haskell and Saracens lock Mouritz Botha.

"We have picked a team that will give us the best chance of beating South Africa," Lancaster said. "There were some tight calls, which is what you want as coaches, but the players we have brought in to start have been training well, will bring a real motivation to make the most of their opportunity and will suit the challenge we face against a tough and physical South African team."

Palmer has been struggling with a calf injury but, after two disappointing performances, it is understood Launchbury would have started anyway. Launchbury is seen as England's version of Eben Etzebeth, the 21-year-old South Africa lock described on Wednesday by the Springbok coach, Heyneke Meyer, as their "enforcer".

Wood's England career was interrupted by a toe injury at the start of 2012 and he has vowed to bring some "dog" to the England back row in place of Johnson.

Morgan's dynamism in the loose was evident through the Six Nations but Lancaster wants to see more from his power game – to make hard yards with the ball and "smash" opponents backwards when in defence. That lack of close-quarters aggression was the reason Morgan lost his place during the summer tour but the England management have been impressed by his development, in conjunction with Gloucester's defence coach, Brad Davies.

With Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes and Tom Croft still to return alongside Wood, Morgan and Launchbury, Lancaster is confident England are developing a pack physical enough to mix it with the nastiest around and while six changes is a substantial overhaul of the team, the returns of Corbisiero, Wood and Morgan have all been in the pipeline.

Corbisiero replaces Joe Marler at looseehead after returning to action two weeks ago from the knee injury he suffered on England's summer tour. Marler struggled against Australia and is now injured himself – but Corbisiero is considered England's premier loosehead and was always slated to return when fit.

England team to play South Africa on Saturday

A Goode (Saracens); C Ashton (Saracens), M Tuilagi (Leicester), B Barritt (Saracens), M Brown (Harlequins); T Flood (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); A Corbisiero (London Irish), T Youngs (Leicester), D Cole (Leicester), J Launchbury (Wasps), G Parling (Leicester), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Gloucester).

Replacements: D Paice (London Irish), D Wilson (Bath), M Vunipola (Saracens), M Botha (Saracens), J Haskell (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins), O Farrell (Saracens), J Joseph (London Irish)