21 Springbok stats and facts

For the World Cup match against Scotland at St James' Park in Newcastle.

  • The first Test between South Africa and Scotland took place in Glasgow in November 1906, with Scotland winning 6-0. Since that day at Hampden Park, 24 Tests have been played between the teams with South Africa victorious in 20. The four matches won by Scotland were all played at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Saturday’s Test will be the first time that the teams meet at a neutral venue.
  • The Springbok record against Scotland is: played 25; won 20; lost five; points for: 652; points against: 270, win%: 80.
  • The most points scored in a match by the Springboks was 68 when they achieved their biggest winning margin against Scotland, winning 68-10 at Murrayfield in 1997. Ten tries were scored by the Boks on that occasion.
  • The teams have only met once before in World Cup tournaments. In 1999 the Springboks’ first pool match was against Scotland at Murrayfield, which the Boks won 46-29.
  • The total Test caps for the Springbok starting lineup is 716. There are 304 caps in the backline, 412 among the forwards and a further 266 on the bench.
  • Fourie du Preez will become the Springboks' 56th Test captain.
  • Jan Serfontein could make his World Cup debut from the bench.
  • Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 111 caps in this position. He is the most experienced Springbok backline player with 112 caps and only Victor Matfield (125) has played in more Tests for South Africa.
  • If he scores a try Habana will extend his own record of 60 Test tries for South Africa. He also holds the Springbok record for most career tries (11) in World Cup tournaments. New Zealand's Jonah Lomu is the World Cup record holder with 15 career tries.
  • Habana needs two tries to equal the world record for most Test tries as a wing. The current world record holder is Daisuke Ohata from Japan with 62 tries in the wing position.
  • Habana needs one try to equal Joost van der Westhuizen’s Bok career record of four tries against Scotland.
  • JP Pietersen scored a hat-trick of tries in the match against Samoa, which elevated him to third on the Bok list of World Cup career tries with seven. Jaque Fourie (nine) is second with Habana (11) in first place.
  • Ruan Pienaar is co-holder of the World Cup record for most conversions (six) in a Test. Should he be used from the bench, he will equal Ollie le Roux’s record (43) for most-capped Bok substitute.
  • Schalk Burger will play in his 75th Test as a flank, a Bok record.
  • Saturday’s Test will be Burger's 16th World Cup match, which will see him join Victor Matfield and Os du Randt as second most-capped Springboks in World Cup tournaments. John Smit played in 17 World Cup Tests. Burger is also the Springbok record holder for most tries as a flank (13) as well as a forward (15).
  • Jannie du Plessis and Beast Mtawarira will play in their 39th Test as props in the starting lineup.
  • Bismarck du Plessis is the Springbok record holder for most tries in Tests as a hooker (10).
  • The front row of Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis and Mtawarira will appear in their record 20th Bok Test starting lineup.
  • Jannie and Bismarck will play their 46th Test together.
  • The referee is Nigel Owens of Wales. It will be his 13th Test involving South Africa. Of the previous 12, the Boks have won seven and lost five. Owens' last appearance in which South Africa played was earlier this year in Brisbane when the Boks lost 24-20 to Australia.
  • The venue is St James’ Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, home to Newcastle United Football Club since 1892. It has a capacity of 52,400 and is the second biggest sports ground in England outside London. Apart from football, the stadium is used for concerts, international rugby league and rugby union matches.

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