The Springboks in Brisbane is a sad tale

SPOTLIGHT: With a torrid record in Brisbane through the years the Springboks face a daunting task when they take on the Wallabies at ‘The Cauldron’ in August as part of the Rugby Championship.

The back-to-back World Cup champions have had a dismal time in Brisbane where they have only managed to win once out of 13 outings since 1993.

This trend is not just evident in the professional era, but also when it was still an amateur game.

The Springboks first-ever Test against Australia in Brisbane took place in 1956, a match that saw the visitors record a 9-0 victory.

Their second triumph was in 1971, beating the hosts by 14-6.

Since 2003, the Brisbane Tests between Australia and South Africa have been played at the rebranded Lang Park, also affectionately known as ‘The Cauldron’.

In the 2003 Test against the Wallabies, the Boks suffered a 9-29 defeat.

Their sole triumph at this venue was in 2013, when the Springboks recorded a 38-12 win over the Wallabies during the Rugby Championship.

Coached by Heyneke Meyer and captained by Jean de Villiers, the Springboks outscored the hosts four tries to nil.

In 2018 Australia recorded a 23-18 victory. The defeat was embarrassing for head coach Rassie Erasmus that year.

However, it was nothing compared to their biggest defeat, 0-49 in 2006, during the Tri-Nations.

Coached by Jake White, that loss is still the Boks’ heaviest defeat to the Wallabies.

Springboks vs Australia in Brisbane since 1993:

1993: Springboks lost 20-28 (Brisbane)
1997: Springboks lost 20-32 (Brisbane)
1999: Springboks lost 6-32 (Brisbane)
2002: Springboks lost 27-38 (Brisbane)
2003: Springboks lost 9-29 (Brisbane)
2006: Springboks lost 0-49 (Brisbane)
2009: Springboks lost 6-21 (Brisbane)
2010: Springboks lost 13-30 (Brisbane)
2013: Springboks won 38-12 (Brisbane)
2015: Springboks lost 20-24 (Brisbane)
2016: Springboks lost 17-23 (Brisbane)
2018: Springboks lost 18-23 (Brisbane)
2021: Springboks lost 17-30 (Brisbane)