STATS & FACTS: Wales vs South Africa
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A look at 20 Wales vs South Africa Stats and Facts ahead of Saturday’s fourth Test at Principality Stadium.
1. South Africa have won 28 of their 34 matches against Wales.
2. South Africa's Siya Kolisi has beaten the most defenders of any Tier 1 forward in 2018 (26).
3. This will be the first time this season the Springboks run out with an unchanged starting line-up.
4. George North, Ken Owens and Hadleigh Parkes are the only players in this Wales squad to have scored more than one try against South Africa (2 each).
5. Jesse Kriel will play in his 40th Test match for the Springboks .
6. Wales have played 11 matches this year, winning nine and losing just two.
7. South Africa have played 13, winning seven and losing six.
8. Wales and Springboks' Results against Common Opponents:
Argentina: Wales won 23-10 & 30-12; South Africa won 34-21 & lost 19-32
Australia: Wales won 9-6; South Africa lost 30-32 & won 23-12
England: Wales lost 6-12; South Africa won 42-39 & 23-12 and lost 10-25
France: Wales won 14-13; South Africa won 29-26
Scotland: Wales won 34-7 & 21-10; South Africa won 26-20
9. Wales vs South Africa Recent results:
2018: Wales won 22-20, Washington
2017: Wales won 24-22, Cardiff
2016: Wales won 27-13, Cardiff
2015: South Africa won 23-19, London (World Cup quarterfinal)
2014: Wales won 12-6, Cardiff
2014: South Africa won 31-30, Nelspruit
2014: South Africa won 38-16, Durban
2013: South Africa won 24-15, Cardiff
2011: South Africa won 17-16, Wellington (World Cup pool match)
2010: South Africa won 29-25, Cardiff
10. Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones is set to make his 18th Test appearance against South Africa (incl. Lions), no European player has faced a Tri-Nations side as often.
11. South Africa have won each of their two matches since losing to England at the beginning of their European tour.
12. Wales have the best lineout success rate (93%) of any Tier 1 side in 2018, they’ve achieved a success rate of 100% in two of their last three matches.
13. Wales had beaten South Africa just once in more than a century when they lined up under the Cardiff roof at the end of the Autumn series of 2016.
14. Wales' win over the Wallabies in round 2 ended a 13-match losing streak which stretched back to 2009.
15. Wales have won each of their last eight Tests, only on two occasions have they enjoyed longer winning runs in their Test history (W11 from 1907-1910, W10 in 1999).
16. 1999 was the first time Wales beat South Africa, now they're looking for their fourth win in a row over the Springboks.
Picture credit: @BBCScrumV
17. The Springboks have not won more consecutive end-of-year Tests since a run of seven wins in a row between 2010 and 2013.
18. Wales have the best lineout success rate (93%) of any Tier 1 side in 2018, they’ve achieved a success rate of 100% in two of their last three matches.
19. The only Tier 1 nation to have spent less time in possession on average this year than South Africa (16 minutes 46 seconds) is Wales (16 minutes 37 seconds).
20. No player has scored more points in 2018 than South Africa’s Handre Pollard (118).