Seven Springbok stats and facts

For the match against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday:

  • The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 643 Test caps (285 in the backline and 358 in the forwards), while there are a further 159 caps worth of experience on the bench.
  • South Africa and Argentina have played each other 20 times since 1993, with the Springboks winning 18, losing one and drawing one. The Boks have scored 753 points and 91 tries and conceded 398 points and 37 tries for an average score of 38-20.
  • Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 108 caps in this position. If he scores a try, he will extend his record of 58 Test tries for South Africa as well as most Test tries against Argentina (six). He will also play against Argentina for the 11th time, improving on his South African record.
  • Victor Matfield will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok in history (122 Tests). He will also extend his record of 122 Tests as a lock and will captain the Boks for the 22nd time, which will move in equal fifth position with Dawie de Villiers on the all-time list behind John Smit (83), Gary Teichmann (36), Jean de Villiers (35) and Francois Pienaar (29).
  • It will be Heyneke Meyer’s 41st Test in charge of the Springboks since he took over in 2012. Of the previous 40 Tests South Africa have won 26 (65%), lost 12 and drawn twice. He is third on the all-time list behind Peter de Villiers (48) and Jake White (54).
  • There are four sons of former Springboks in the team: Ruan Pienaar (father Gysie), Schalk Burger Jnr (father Schalk Snr), Flip van der Merwe Jnr (father Flippie snr) and Cobus Reinach (father the late Jaco). There is one grandson of a former Springbok – Pieter-Steph du Toit is the grandson of Piet 'Spiere' du Toit. Pat Lambie is the grandson of a former England international Nick Labuschagne.
  • The referee is Glen Jackson of New Zealand. In his only previous Test the Springboks beat Scotland 55-6 in Port Elizabeth in June 2014.

Argentina vs Springboks preview

Post by