Springboks v All Blacks: Stats and Facts

Springboks v All Blacks: Stats and Facts

Stats and facts ahead of the Springboks clash with the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld   

1. Eben Etzebeth has won 26 lineouts in this tournament, the most of any player and 10 more than New Zealand’s best Kieran Read (16)

2. The All Blacks have conceded the most turnovers in The Rugby Championship this year (91), while South Africa have won the most (39).

3. New Zealand and South Africa both successfully converted all their goal attempts last weekend (each kicking five from five), the first time either side had done so in this year’s tournament


4. New Zealand have averaged the most metres gained (650) and defenders beaten (36) per match in The Rugby Championship 2018, while South Africa have recorded the lowest tallies in these categories (360 metres and 19 defenders beaten)


5. New Zealand have conceded a total of 60 points to South Africa in their two most recent encounters; in the four games prior to this, they conceded a combined total of just 46 points to the Springboks.

6. South Africa has a win rate of 77% at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, having lost just eight Test matches at the ground (W27) –however, four of those losses have come against New Zealand, with their only victory against the All Blacks at this venue coming in 1970

7. New Zealand have won their last three games against the Springboks on South African soil; they have never won four straight games playing away to South Africa

8. After winning the most recent fixture 36-34 in Wellington, South Africa will be gunning for back-to-back victories against New Zealand for the first time since they won three on the bounce in 2009.

9. The All Blacks have scored 320 points and 48 tries in their eight matches this year - which works out at 40 points and six tries per Test. 

10. The All Blacks have also shared the try-scoring honours around: 21 players have scored those 48 tries.

11. Rieko Ioane is the leading try scorer in the world with nine so far in 2018. Ioane scored his 20th try last weekend which made him the 34th All Black to score 100 points in Test matches. He is also the 21st All Black to score 20 tries in Test matches.

12. The All Blacks and South Africa have played each other 96 times since 1921, with 57 wins to the All Blacks, 36 to South Africa and three draws.

13. This weekend's Pretoria Test will be the All Blacks 1300th game and 575th Test.

14. The All Blacks and South Africa have played each other five times at Loftus Versfeld, with the last Test there in 2006, a 45-26 victory to the All Blacks.

15. The All Blacks Rugby Championship win this year means they have now won six times since 2012. (2012 - 2014 and 2016-2018, as well as a Rugby Championship "Grand Slam" in 2012 - 2013 and 2016-2017).

16. Since Argentina joined the competition in 2012 the All Blacks have never lost more than one match in a single edition of The Rugby Championship, winning 34 of 38 games in that period (D1, L3), the last time they suffered two defeats in the tournament was during the 2011 Tri-Nations.

17. Willie Le Roux is set to make 50th Springbok Test appearance at Loftus

18. Tendai Mtawarira is the most experienced Springboks against New Zealand with 17 Test matches. 

19. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Embrose Papier and Damian Willemse have not played against the All Blacks before.

20. South Africa could score their 150th try against New Zealand if they score two tries in this Test match.

21. New Zealand need 21 points to reach 2 000 points in Test matches against South Africa.

22. Eben Etzebeth will play in his record 38th consecutive Rugby Championship Test match.

23. The Springboks hosted the All Blacks in very first International match at Loftus in July 1928.

24. The most points scored by South Africa against New Zealand at Loftus were 26 on two occasions (1996 and 2006), while New Zealand racked up 52 points in 2003.

25. South Africa’s Test match record at Loftus Versfeld – P: 35; W: 27; L: 8; PF: 1 140; PA: 680; TF: 135; TA: 68; Average score: 33-19; Win%: 77%.

26. All-time head to heads, last 12 months and All-time records

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