11 Springbok stats and facts

For the Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at the Estadio Padre Ernest Martearena in Salta on Saturday.

  • The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 610 Test caps (295 in the backline and 315 in the forwards), while there are a further 285 caps worth of experience on the bench.
  • South Africa and Argentina have played each other 18 times since 1993, with the Springboks winning 17 Tests, while one was drawn. The Springboks have scored 695 points and 85 tries and conceded 330 points and 30 tries for an average score of 39-18.
  • South Africa and Argentina last met on 16 August 2014 at Loftus Versfeld in the Rugby Championship. The Boks won 13-6 in dreadful conditions.
  • Jean de Villiers will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok centre, with 82 Tests in this position. He will also extend his own SA record of 45 Rugby Championship games and will captain the Springboks for a 26th time.
  • Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 97 Tests in this position. He will also extend his record of eight career appearances against Argentina and if he scores a try, will extend his record of 55 Test tries for South Africa as well as his record of 17 tries in his Rugby Championship career.
  • If he goes on and plays flyhalf, Morné Steyn will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok flyhalf, with 55 Tests in this position. If he scores a try, he will also extend his record of eight Test tries as a flyhalf for South Africa.
  • If he scores a try, Bismarck du Plessis will extend his own record of nine Test tries for South Africa. Bismarck and his brother Jannie will extend their record of playing together in 35 Tests for the Springboks.
  • Juan Smith last played a Test for South Africa on 27 November 2010 against England at Twickenham. If he scores a try, Smith will become sole record holder of most tries for South Africa as a flank (11), a record he currently shares with Schalk Burger.
  • Ruan Pienaar will be playing in his 50th Test for South Africa at scrumhalf. He also played 15 Tests at flyhalf, ten at fullback and three on the wing.
  • The referee is Steve Walsh of Australia (formerly from New Zealand). This will be his 17th Test involving South Africa. From the previous 16 games the Springboks have won 12, drawn three and lost once. Walsh will also equal the record of Alain Rolland of Ireland who also officiated in 17 Tests involving South Africa.
  • This will be the Springboks’ first Test at the Estadio Padre Ernest Martearena in Salta.

Photo: SARugby.co.za