Iconic All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter won 79% of the Test matches he played against the Springboks in an incredibly dominant international career.
MARK KEOHANE gives a comprehensive breakdown of Carter’s Test career against the Springboks, in which he scored three tries and kicked eight drop goals, 33 conversions and 55 penalties for 255 points in 18 Test starts.
Dan Carter vs Springboks – all his numbers
18 starts
1 substitute appearance (in which he did not kick)
19 Tests
15 wins
4 defeats
2 wins from 2 matches in two World Cups (Melbourne 2003 and Twickenham, London 2015)
5 wins from 7 in South Africa
8 wins from 10 in New Zealand
3 tries
3 drop goals
33 conversions
55 penalties
45 – the points Carter scored in two Tests against the Springboks in 2006.
28-17 average winning score for the All Blacks versus the Springboks during Carter’s 19 Tests (530 points against 320)
33 points, the biggest winning differential
6 points, the biggest losing differential
WATCH: Dan Carter versus the Springboks 2015 RWC semi-final
11 – The number of Bok flyhalves who played against Carter in his 19 Tests: Derick Hougaard, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Andre Pretorius, Butch James, Ruan Pienaar, Frans Steyn, Peter Grant, Morne Steyn, Elton Jantjies, Pat Lambie and Johan Goosen.
* Did you know that three of Carter’s four defeats by the Springboks were by one, two and three points, respectively?
*Did you know that Carter played for the All Blacks in two winning Tests at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in front of crowds of 94,000 and 90,000, but never played againts the Boks at Ellis Park?
*Did you know that the All Blacks beat the Springboks by 14 points or more in 10 of Carter’s 19 Tests?
*Did you know that the All Blacks beat the Springboks by 18 points or more in seven of Carter’s 19 Tests?
*Did you know that Carter was named man of the match in five of his 19 Tests against the Springboks?
*Did you know that Carter scored 20-plus points against the Springboks five times?
Carter’s Test career
112 caps
99 wins
1 draw
1,598 points, world record
29 tries
293 conversions – world record
281 penalties – world record
8 drop goals
2 World Cup titles (2011 and 2015)
9 Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship titles
First-class career
2002-14 Canterbury: 300 points in 28 matches
2003-15 Crusaders: 1,708 points in 141 matches
2008-09 Perpignan: 45 points in 5 matches
2015-18: Racing 92: 445 points in 57 matches
2018-20: Kobe Steelers: 196 points in 12 matches
First-class matches: 243
First-class points: 2,694 points (11,08 per match)
Test matches: 112
Test points: 1,598 points (14,1 per match)
Overall career record
345 matches
4,292 points (12,44 per match)
Overall titles
2 World Cups
9 Tri nations/Rugby Championships
1 Lions series
3 Grand Slam tour wins
5x NZ domestic titles with Canterbury
3x Super Rugby titles with Crusaders
2x Top 14 titles with Perpignan and Racing
1x Japanese League title with Steelers
1 amateur title with his boyhood club, Southbridge, in what proved to be his final game of rugby in 2020.
READ: Carter’s final game of rugby for his boyhood club Southbridge
