11 Springbok stats and facts

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For the Rugby Championship match against Argentina at Kings Park on Saturday.

  • The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 651 Test caps (341 in the backline and 310 in the forwards), while there are a further 137 caps worth of experience on the bench.
  • South Africa and Argentina have played each other 19 times since 1993, with the Springboks winning 18 while one match was drawn. The Springboks have scored 728 points and 88 tries and conceded 361 points and 33 tries for an average score of 38-19.
  • South Africa and Argentina last met on 23 August 2014 at the Ernesto Maltearena in Salta. The Springboks beat Argentina by 33-31 thanks to a late penalty from the boot of replacement flyhalf Morné Steyn.
  • Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 107 caps in this position. If he scores a try he will extend his own record of 57 Test tries for South Africa as well as most Test tries against Argentina (five) and the Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship record of 18 tries. He will also play against Argentina for the 10th time, breaking his own South African record.
  • Jean de Villiers will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok centre, with 91 Tests in this position and will captain South Africa for the 35th time, placing him third behind John Smit (83) and Gary Teichmann (36). Jean will also be playing in his 51st Rugby Championship game to extend his own SA record.
  • If he scores a try Bismarck du Plessis will extend his record of nine Test tries for South Africa as a hooker.
  • Three players on the bench, Marcel van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Siya Kolisi, will be in the match 23 for the first time in 2015.
  • It will be Heyneke Meyer’s 40th Test in charge of the Springboks since he took over in 2012. Of the previous 39 Tests South Africa have won 26, lost 11 and drawn twice. Only two coaches have taken charge in more Bok matches: Peter de Villiers (48) and Jake White (54).
  • There are three sons of ex-Springbok players in the team: Ruan Pienaar (father Gysie), Schalk Burger Jnr (father Schalk Snr) and Cobus Reinach (father the late Jaco). 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 Springboks’ captain and vice-captain for this weekend, Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger, both matriculated from Paarl Gymnasium.
  • The referee is Romain Poite of France. It will be his sixth Test involving South Africa. Of the previous five South Africa have won three and lost two. His last appearance was in November 2014 against Ireland in Dublin, a game the Boks lost 29-15.

Springboks vs Argentina preview

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Simon Borchardt