Cape Town - Twelve stats and facts ahead of Saturday's Ireland v Springboks Test in Dublin.
· The total number of caps in the Springbok starting line-up is 439. There are 101 caps in the backline with 338 caps among the forwards, and on the bench there are a further 88 caps.
· The average caps per player in the backline is 14, the forwards 42 while the players on the bench average 11. The average age of the starting XV is 26.
· Tendai Mtawarira will extend his record as the most-capped Springbok prop to 96. He is the third most experienced Springbok forward, behind Victor Matfield (127) and John Smit (111).
· Mtawarira will equal the record for most Test caps (seven) against Ireland. The current record holder is CJ van der Linde.
· Pieter-Steph du Toit and Coenie Oosthuizen will play in their 30th Test match.
· Elton Jantjies needs two points to reach 200 points in Tests for South Africa.
· Should Jantjies succeed with four conversions, he will equal Percy Montgomery’s career record of 10 conversions (in six Tests) against Ireland. This will be Jantjies’ fourth Test against Ireland.
· The Aviva Stadium in Dublin was built on the same ground that was previously occupied by Lansdowne Road, the oldest rugby stadium in the world. The first Test played at Lansdowne Road took place on March 11, 1878. Ireland played a total of 244 Test matches at Lansdowne Road.
· The first Test match played at the new Aviva Stadium was between Ireland and South Africa on November 6, 2010, which South Africa won 23-21.
· Saturday’s match will be the Springbok’s 14th Test against Ireland at this venue. South Africa’s record on this ground is: P 13; W 8; L 4; D 1; PF: 221; PA: 170; TF: 33; TA: 15; Average score: 17-13. Win%: 62%.
· South Africa’s record in Ireland is: P 15; W 9; L 5; D 1; PF: 246; PA: 197; TF: 38; TA: 18; Average score: 16-13. Win%: 60%.
· South Africa’s overall record against Ireland: P: 25; W: 18; L: 6; D: 1; PF: 503; PA: 342; TF: 69; TA: 31; Average score: 20-14. Win%: 72%.