Springboks v Wallabies: Tale of the tape

The Springboks will look to overturn their wretched run of Test results against the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know about the match-up.

SETTING THE SCENE: SOUTH AFRICA V AUSTRALIA

The Springboks will be aiming for back-to-back Test victories against the Wallabies in Australia for the first time since July 1993, but they will need to overcome a terrible record in Brisbane.

South Africa have lost to Australia in 11 of the 12 Tests played since 1965, but they will still be viewed as favourites coming into this clash against a new-look Wallabies side.

TALE OF THE TAPE: SPRINGBOKS V WALLABIES

What the numbers say:

Played 93: Springboks won 50, Australia won 40, drawn 3.
Points scored: Springboks 1 860, Australia 1 653.
Tries scored: Springboks 218, Australia 170.
Highest score: 61-22 (Pretoria, 1997).
Biggest win: South by 45 points (53-8, Johannesburg 2008).
Win percentage: South Africa 53.8%, Australia 43%, draw 3.2%.

Miscellaneous stats and facts:

• This will be Eben Etzebeth’s 123^rd Test, leaving him four appearances away from equalling Victor Matfield’s Springbok Test record (127).
• Frans Malherbe will extend his number of starts at tighthead prop to 60 Tests, trailing only Tendai Mtawarira (102) and Os du Randt (75).
• The centre pairing of Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende will extend their record of playing the most Test matches together in the midfield to 31 (the previous record was held by Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie with 29 Tests).
• Cheslin Kolbe needs four points to reach 100 points in Tests for South Africa.
• Should Kwagga Smith take the field, he will need only six more Test caps to join the club of Springboks with 50 Test caps.
• Willie le Roux will take another step closer to joining select club of Springbok centurions as he earns his 96^th cap on Saturday.
• The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 836.
• There are 335 caps in the backline, with 501 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 269caps.
• The average caps per player in the backline is 47, the forwards 62, while the players on the bench average 33.