Throwback: How Springbok team looked for the last Test at FNB Stadium
· The South African
The Springboks return to FNB Stadium this Saturday for another clash against the All Blacks, with nearly 88,000 fans expected to be in attendance.
Back on 6 October 2012, when the Springboks last played at the iconic venue, the All Blacks claimed a comprehensive 32-16 victory, but so much has changed since then.
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The only Springbok player still in the mix 14 years later is South Africa’s most capped player of all time, Eben Etzebeth, who started that day as a 20-year-old lock in just his eighth Test.
HERE IS HOW THAT SPRINGBOK TEAM LOOKED BACK IN 2012
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Francois Hougaard, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Pat Lambie, 22 Juan de Jongh.
This Saturday’s match at FNB Stadium kicks off at 17:10, and the total Test caps in the current Springbok starting line-up stands at a whopping 958, There are 366 caps in the backline, with 592 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 222 caps.
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nché.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 André Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Manie Libbok.
Erasmus said they couldn’t wait for the occasion this weekend.
“We are excited that we will be playing at the FNB stadium, where on a good day there is an 80 000 strong crowd, and that will be a new and exciting experience for our players because most of these players have never ran onto the field there, and the support we enjoy there will add to the occasion,” Erasmus commented.
“With the vuvuzelas and passionate crowd there, we can hardly hear one another on the field, so we are all thrilled about this occasion. But make no mistake, this is going to be another intense battle between the two top teams in the world who are both looking to get an edge in the series, so we know what we have to do, and composure and accuracy are going to be vital for both sides.”
Stats and facts:
Springbok record against New Zealand: Played: 112, Won: 44, Lost: 64, Drawn: 4. Points for: 1 899; Points against: 2 328; Tries scored: 185; Tries conceded: 257. Win %: 39,2%.
Miscellaneous:
- Eben Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok player of all time to 145 caps when he takes the field.
- The loose trio of Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese will pass the record they currently share with Francois Louw, Willem Alberts, and Duane Vermeuelen as the loose trio with the most Test starts at 17 – three more than Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, Andre Venter and Gary Teichmann, who started 14 Tests together.
- Should he take the field, Deon Fourie will stretch his record as the oldest Springbok player to play in a Test match at 39 years by a further week.
- The teams have only met twice at the FNB Stadium in history in 2010 and 2012, with the All Blacks winning both matches (29-22 and 32-16).
- Jasper Wiese requires only two more Test match appearances after this match to join the group of players who have earned 50 Test caps.
- The Springboks have won six of the last eight matches between the teams dating back to August 2023.
- The total Test caps in the Springbok starting line-up is 958.**** There are 366 caps in the backline, with 592 caps among the forwards. On the bench, there are a further 222 caps.
- The average caps per player in the backline is 52, the forwards 74, while the players on the bench average 28.