Bok stats
South Africa take on Argentina in the opening Round of the Rugby Championship at Soccer City in Soweto on Saturday.
We take a statistical look at the Springboks.
* The Springbok starting team boasts a total of 485 Test caps (300 in the backline and 185 in the forwards), while there are a further 208 caps worth of experience on the bench.
* South Africa and Argentina have played each other 15 times since 1993, with the Springboks winning 14 Tests and one was drawn. The Springboks have scored 587 points and 74 tries, and conceded 294 points and 27 tries for an average score of 39-20.
* South Africa and Argentina last met on 25 August 2012 in Mendoza during the inaugural Castle Lager Rugby Championship. The game ended in a draw, 16-16.
* Jean de Villiers will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok centre, with 72 Tests in this position.
* Morné Steyn will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok flyhalf, with 44 Tests in this position. If he scores a try, he will extend his record of seven Test tries as a flyhalf for South Africa
* Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 85 Tests in this position. He will also equal Joost van der Westhuizen’s record of six career appearances against Argentina and if he scores a try, Habana will extend his record of 50 Test tries for South Africa.
* Bismarck du Plessis needs a try to become the sole record holder of career tries by a Springbok hooker in Tests. He shares this record of six with John Smit.
* Fourie du Preez is back in the team after playing his last test for South Africa in 2011 – against Australia on 9 October, 2011 in Wellington in the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup, which South Africa lost 9-11.
* The referee is Chris Pollock of New Zealand. This will be his second Test involving South Africa. On 23 July 2011 he was the man in the middle when South Africa lost 20-39 against Australia in Sydney.
Springbok Test match records at Soccer City, Soweto:
* Most points – 17 by Morné Steyn (one conversion, five penalties) against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010.
* Most tries – one by Schalk Burger against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010 and by Bryan Habana against New Zealand 6 October, 2012.
* Most conversions – one by Morné Steyn against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010 and by Johan Goosen against New Zealand on 6 October 2012.
* Most penalty goals – five by Morné Steyn against New Zealand 21 August, 2010.
* No Springbok has ever scored a drop-goal in Tests at this venue.
* The Test match against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010 was attended by a crowd of 94,713. This is the official record for a Test match in South Africa.
