Cape Town - Twenty stats and facts ahead of the Rugby World Cup clash
between the Springboks and Scotland in Newcastle.
· The first Test match between South Africa and Scotland took place in Glasgow in November 1906. The score in that match was 6-0 in favour of Scotland. Since that day at Hampden Park, 24 Test matches were played against Scotland with South Africa victorious in 20. The four matches won by Scotland were all played at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. Saturday’s Test will be the first time that the two teams will meet at a neutral venue.
· The Springbok record against Scotland is: P: 25; W: 20; L: 5; PF: 652; PA: 270. Win% = 80%.
· The most points scored in a match by the Springboks were 68 when they achieved their biggest winning margin against Scotland, winning 68-10 at Murrayfield in 1997. Ten tries were scored by the Springboks on that occasion.
· In Rugby World Cup tournaments, the two teams only met once before. In 1999 the Springboks’ first pool match was against Scotland at Murrayfield which the Springboks won 46-29.
· The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 716. There are 304 caps in the backline with 412 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 266 caps.
· Jan Serfontein could make his World Cup debut from the bench.
· Bryan Habana will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok wing, with 111 caps in this position. He is the most experienced Springbok backline player with 112 caps and only Victor Matfield (125) has played in more Test matches for South Africa.
· If Habana scores a try he will extend his own record of 60 Test tries for South Africa. Habana also holds the Springbok record for most career tries (11) in World Cup tournaments. Jonah Lomu of New Zealand is the World Cup record holder with 15 career tries.
· Habana need two tries to equal the world record for most Test tries as a wing. The current world record holder is Daisuke Ohata from Japan with 62 tries in the wing position.
· Habana needs one try to equal Joost van der Westhuizen’s career record of 4 tries against Scotland.
· JP Pietersen scored a hat trick of tries in the match against Samoa which elevated him to third on the list of tries in World Cup with 7 career tries. Jaque Fourie (9) is second with Habana (11) in first place.
· Ruan Pienaar is co-holder of the World Cup record for most conversions (6) in a Test match. Should he be used from the bench he will equal Ollie le Roux’s record (43) for most capped substitute.
· Schalk Burger will play in his 75th Test as a flank, South Africa’s most capped Springbok flank.
· Saturday’s Test will be his 16th World Cup Test to join Victor Matfield and Os du Randt as second most capped Springboks at the World Cup. John Smit played in 17 World Cup Tests. He is also the Springbok record holder for most tries as a flank (13) as well as a forward (15).
· Jannie du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira will play in their 39th Test as props in the starting line-up.
· Bismarck du Plessis is the Springbok record holder for most tries (10) in Tests as a hooker.
· The front row of Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck and Tendai Mtawarira will appear in their record 20th Test starting line-up.
· Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis will play their 46th Test match together.
· The referee is Nigel Owens of Wales. It will be his 13th Test involving South Africa. Of the previous 12 South Africa have won seven and lost five. His last appearance in which South Africa played was earlier this year in Brisbane when South Africa lost 24-20 against Australia.
· The venue is St James’ Park in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, home to Newcastle United Football Club since 1892. It has
a capacity of just more than 52 400 seats. It is the second biggest sports
ground in England outside of London. Apart from football-related uses the
stadium is also used for concerts, international rugby league and rugby union
matches.