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Cape Town - 15 stats and facts ahead of Saturday's Springboks v France clash at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
READ: Four debutants in Springboks side to face France
· The first Test match between South Africa and France took place in Bordeaux on January 11, 1913. South Africa, captained by Billy Millar, won the match 38-5, scoring nine tries in the process, which, to date, is still a Springbok match record for tries against France.
· This Test match will be the third match at Loftus Versfeld between the two countries. The previous two, in 1975 and 1980, were comfortably won by South Africa with a combined score of 70-33.
· South Africa’s record against France at home: P: 21; W: 10; L: 6; D: 5; PF: 438; PA: 322; Win%: 48%.
· This encounter will be the Boks’ 40th Test match against France.
· South Africa’s overall record against France: P: 39; W: 22; L: 11; D: 6; PF: 783; PA: 578; Win%: 56%.
· The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 265. There are 54 caps in the backline with 211 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 151 caps.
· The average caps per player in the backline is eight, the forwards 26 while the players on the bench average 19.
· The average age of the starting XV is 26.
· The tallest player in the squad is Eben Etzebeth (2.04m) and the shortest Elton Jantjies and Bongi Mbonambi (1.76m). The heaviest players are Frans Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff (125kg) and the lightest players are Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronjé and Dillyn Leyds (85kg).
· In the starting XV, only Kolisi, Etzebeth and Mtawarira have previously played against France.
· Frans Steyn last played a Test for the Springboks in September, 2012. That match was against New Zealand in Dunedin.
· Warren Whiteley is South Africa’s 58th Springbok captain. The 14th Springbok captain from the Golden Lions.
· The following Test debutants will receive Springbok numbers as follows: Ross Cronjé #882; Courtnall Skosan #883 and Andries Coetzee #884. Should Dillyn Leyds be used as a substitute his Springbok number will be #885. Raymond Rhule has not played in a Test match before, but he earned his Springbok number (#845) in 2012 while touring with the Springboks to Ireland, Scotland and England.
· Elton Jantjies needs 22 points to reach 100 points in Test rugby.
· Frans Steyn needs 18 points to reach 150 points in Test rugby.
