STATS & FACTS: England vs. South Africa

STATS & FACTS: England vs. South Africa

33 Stats and facts ahead of this weekend's clash between England and South Africa at Twickenham.

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1. The total Test caps for the Springbok starting lineup is 415. There are 122 in the backline and 293 among the forwards, with a further 120 on the bench.

2. The total Test caps for the England starting lineup is 413. There are 248 in the backline and 165 among the forwards, with a further 199 on the bench.

3. The average caps per player in the Springbok backline is 17, the forwards 37 and those on the bench 15. The average age of the starting XV is 26 years.


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5. Eben Etzebeth is the most experienced player in the squad and the most capped player in the team against England with six appearances against them.

6. Damian Willemse earns his first test start for the Springboks in this clash

7. Manu Tuilagi is named on the bench having last played for England against Wales in the 2016 Six Nations.

8. Malcolm Marx and Damian Willemse are the only two players who have never played in a Test against England.

9. Alec Hepburn will make his starting debut for England while uncapped players Zach Mercer and Ben Moon are named on the bench.

10. Handré Pollard needs seven points to reach 300 career points for South Africa.

11. Owen Farrell is just 10 points away from reaching 700 for his country, only Jonny Wilkinson (1,179) has reached this milestone for England. 

12. Farrell has scored 94 points in his nine previous games against the Springboks.

13. The top Springbok scorers against England at Twickenham are Pat Lambie (36 points), Chester Williams, Willem Alberts and Bryan Habana (two tries each), Lambie (eight penalty goals) and André Pretorius (four drop goals).

14. The match records are held by André Pretorius (20 points and four drop goals), Chester Williams (two tries), and Braam van Straaten (four penalty goals).

15. South Africa’s overall record against England is: P: 41; W: 25; L: 14; D: 2; PF: 876; PA: 705; TF: 82; TA: 54; Average score: 21-17. Win%: 61%.

16. South Africa’s biggest win against England (48 points) was in 2007 in Bloemfontein when they ran in seven tries to register a 58-10 win.

17. The Springboks’ biggest loss to England was in 2002 at Twickenham when the home team ran out winners 53-3. On that occasion, Jannes Labuschagne was red-carded in the 23rd minute for a late tackle on Jonny Wilkinson.

18. The first Test at Twickenham took place on 15 January 1910 when England hosted Wales before a crowd of 18,000. At the time the seating capacity was 20,000.

19. Twickenham is the largest dedicated rugby union stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of 82,000.

20. The first Springbok Test against England on this ground was on 4 January 1913. The Boks won 9-3 in front of 29,000 spectators.

21. South Africa have played in 20 Tests against England at Twickenham. The record is: P: 20; W: 11; L: 9; PF: 335; PA: 361; TF: 32; TA: 33; Average score: 17-18; Win%: 55%.

22. The referee is Australian Angus Gardner. He has refereed in 17 Tests, five of which involving South Africa, with the Boks winning two.

23. England have won just 34% (14 of 41) of their encounters with South Africa, only against New Zealand (18%, 7 of 40) do they have a lower win rate in Test rugby.

24. England have lost 13 of their last 16 games against South Africa (W2, D1), although they won their most recent encounter in June and will be aiming to win consecutive matches against the Springboks for the first time since winning seven in a row from 2000 to 2006.

25. England have won 14 of their last 15 games at Twickenham, losing only their most recent match there against Ireland, their first defeat at home since the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

26. England have won their last nine end-of-year Tests, their last such defeat coming in November 2014 against South Africa.

27. South Africa have won just two of their last eight end-of-year Tests (L6), however, both victories came during their European tour last year (v France and Italy).

28. South Africa spent the least time in possession during this year’s Rugby Championship (16 minutes 19 seconds per game), and as a result averaged the fewest carries (110), metres (364), breaks (11) and defenders beaten (20). 

29. The Springboks won the most turnovers per game during the Rugby Championship this year (7.5).

30. England have scored at least one try in each of their last 33 games on home turf, averaging three and half tries per game in that time and last failing to cross the whitewash at Twickenham in March 2013 against Italy.

31. South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit made the most tackles of any player during the 2018 Rugby Championship (83), however only Australia’s Marika Koroibete (19) missed more tackles than the Springboks lock (16, same as South Africa’s Faf de Klerk).

32. England’s Maro Itoje (13) and Tom Curry (10) have won more turnovers than any other player in the Premiership this season, with each winning a league-high six jackal turnovers as well.

33. England blew a 21 -point lead against South Africa in the first test between these two sides this year and went on to lose the match 42-39.

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