Eight Springbok stats and facts

For Saturday's Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks at Kings Park.

– The total Test caps in the starting lineup are 623 – of this 321 are in the backline and 302 among the forwards. The combined Test caps on the bench are 123. The average caps per player for the match 23 are 27.

– The youngest player in the squad is Lood de Jager (23 years and nine months), with the oldest member of the team Bryan Habana (33 years, three months).

–   The following players will play in their ninth consecutive match in the starting XV under Allister Coetzee’s reign: Francois Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Adriaan Strauss and Tendai Mtawarira.

– Bryan Habana is South Africa's top try-scorer (eight) against New Zealand, while Morné Steyn is the top point-scorer with one try, 10 conversions, 31 penalty goals and two drop goals for a total of 124 career points in 12 appearances against the All Blacks.

Eben Etzebeth will play in his 30th consecutive Test match, elevating him into joint third with Morné Steyn for most consecutive Tests in a career. Only Gary Teichmann (39) and John Smit (46) have played in more consecutive Tests.

– Damian de Allende will play in his 20th Test match.

– Morné Steyn made his Test debut against the British & Irish Lions at this stadium on 20 June 2009. His second Test match here was against the All Blacks on 1 August 2009. During this match he established a new world record by scoring all 31 points with a try, a conversion and 8 penalty goals. The final score was 31-19.

– Morné Steyn kicked four successful penalty goals against Australia at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday and is now the new record holder for most career penalty goals in Tests for South Africa (149). He only needs one successful penalty goal for his 150th. He is also now the new record holder with six drop goals in his Rugby Championship career.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

Post by