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Cape Town - Eighteen stats and facts ahead of the Rugby Championship Test between the Springboks and Wallabies in Port Elizabeth.
Test caps
• The total test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 466. There are 146 caps in the backline with 320 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are a further 101 caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline are 21, the forwards 40 while the players on the bench average 13. The average age of the starting 15 is 26.
Approaching milestones and records
• Handré Pollard needs six points to reach 100 tournament points in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
• Eben Etzebeth will play in his record 37th consecutive Test match in this tournament.
• Tendai Mtawarira will play in his 20th Test match against Australia.
• It will be a first Test against Australia for the following players: André Esterhuizen, Cheslin Kolbe, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Marco van Staden, Embrose Papier and Damian Willemse.
Match officials
• The referee is Jerome Garcès of France. He made his first full international appearance in 2010, in a match between England and the Barbarians.
• To date, Garcès has refereed in 45 Test matches. The Springboks were involved in 12 of his Test matches, of which they were victorious in three.
• The two assistant referees are Wayne Barnes and Matt Carley, while Graham Hughes will be the TMO. All three officials are from England.
The stadium
• The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was established in 2009 and has a capacity of 46 000.
• The Springboks played their first Test match on this ground when they were victorious against New Zealand by 13 points (18-5) on 20 August 2011.
• That was their only victory in the 2011 Tri-Nations (now the Castle Lager Rugby Championship). To date, the Springboks are unbeaten on this ground.
• South Africa has played in five Test matches in this stadium. Their record: P: 5; W: 4; D: 1; PF: 143; PA: 53; TF: 14; TA: 5; Average score: 29-11; Win%: 80%.
• Top scorers at this stadium are: Elton Jantjies, 28 (2 Tests), Morné Steyn, 27 (2 Tests) and JP Pietersen, 15 (3 Tests). Morné Steyn holds the record for most points in a match when he scored all points (18) against the All Blacks in 2011.
Record against Australia
• It will be the Wallabies’ fifth visit to Port Elizabeth for a Test match against South Africa. They last played here 45 years ago when John Thornett’s touring side squared the Test series 2-2 in 1963. The previous four Tests were all won by South Africa.
• South Africa’s overall record in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship against Australia is: P: 48; W: 22; L: 23; D: 3; PF: 1 067; PA: 1 057; TF: 101; TA: 104; Average score: 22-22. Win%: 46%.
• South Africa’s overall record against Australia is: P: 86; W: 46; L: 37; D: 3; PF: 1 675; PA: 1 521; TF: 195; TA: 155; Average score: 19-18. Win%: 53%.
• South Africa’s biggest win against Australia was in 2008 in Johannesburg when the Springboks ran in eight tries to win by 53-8. On that occasion, Jongi Nokwe became the first Springbok to score four tries in a Test against Australia.
