Click here to see the Springbok team for Saturday's Test, or click here to read what Rassie Erasmus had to say about the match.

Ten Test matches have taken place against Australia at Emirates Airline Park, with the first on 12 August, 1933 and the last on 30 August, 2008. The score in the last match was a record 53-8, the Boks’ biggest win against Australia ever.

Australia have only one win at this stadium, when John Thornett’s Wallabies scored a narrow win of 11-9 on 24 August, 1963.

Head to Head at Emirates Airline Park:

Played 10; Won 9; Lost 1; Drawn 0; Points for 276; Points against 121; Tries for 40; Tries against 11; Wins 90%

Team records against Australia at Emirates Airline Park

  • Most points: 53 – 30 August 2008
  • Most tries: 8 – 5 August 1961 and 30 August 2008
  • Most conversions: 5 – 30 August 2008
  • Most penalty goals: 5 – 22 August 1998
  • Most drop goals: 1 – 12 August 1933 and 9 September 2006

Individual records against Australia at Emirates Airline Park

  • Most points: 20 – JL Nokwe – 30 August 2008
  • Most tries: 4 – JL Nokwe – 30 August 2008
  • Most conversions: 4 – WW Greeff – 17 August 2002
  • Most penalty goals: 5 – PC Montgomery – 22 August 1998
  • Most drop goals: 1 – BL Osler – 12 August 1933 and AS Pretorius – 9 September 2006

ALL TEST MATCHES AT EMIRATES AIRLINE PARK

Played 50; Won 35; Lost 13; Drawn 2; Points for 1340; Points against 848; Tries for 166; Tries against 79; Wins 70%

Team records at Emirates Airline Park

  • Most points: 63 v Argentina – 9 August 2008
  • Most tries: 9 v Western Samoa – 13 April 1995 and v Argentina – 9 August 2008
  • Most conversions: 9 v Argentina – 9 August, 2008
  • Most penalty goals: 6 v France – 16 June 2001 and Scotland – 14 June 2003
  • Most drop goals: 2 v New Zealand – 24 June 1995 and 19 July 1997

Individual records at Emirates Airline Park

  • Most points: 28 by GK Johnson (3t, 5c, 1p) v Western Samoa – 13 April 1995
  • Most tries: 4 by JL Nokwe v Australia – 30 August 2008
  • Most conversions: 9 by AD James v Argentina – 9 August 2008
  • Most penalty goals: 6 by each of PC Montgomery v France – 16 June 2001 and LJ Koen v Scotland – 14 June 2003
  • Most drop goals: 2 by each of JT Stransky v New Zealand – 24 June 1995 and JH de Beer v New Zealand – 19 July 1997

Miscellaneous

  • The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 488. There are 94 caps in the backline and 394 amongst the forwards while the bench have a further 128 caps.
  • The average number of caps per player in the backline is 13, and 49 per forward. The players on the bench average 16 caps. The average age of the starting fifteen is 27.
  • Eben Etzebeth will become the third most capped lock, winning his 76th Test, surpassing Mark Andrews’ 75 Test matches. Victor Matfield (127) and Bakkies Botha (85) are the most capped Springbok locks. It will also be Eben’s 12th Test match as captain.
  • The longest period between Test caps for this selection belongs to Marcell Coetzee. His last Test match for the Springboks was on 8 August 2015 against Argentina in Durban, almost four years ago.
  • Should the Wallabies score a try in this Test match, it will be the 800th Test try conceded by South Africa in the history of Springbok Rugby.

Milestones and Records

  • The Springboks need three tries to reach 200 Test tries against Australia. It will be the first time ever that have South Africa scored 200 tries against a single country (Note: this statistic does not include the 17 tries that the Springboks scored in three matches against New South Wales in 1921. Australia regard those matches as Test matches, South Africa does not).
  • Elton Jantjies needs 13 points to reach 50 career points against Australia.
  • Rynhardt Elstadt and Herschel Jantjies will make their Springbok debuts, while Lizo Gqoboka could also join them should he be used as a substitute.
  • Warrick Gelant and Sbu Nkosi will face the Wallabies for the first time as will Marvin Orie if he is used as a substitute.
  • Tendai Mtawarira will become the second most capped Springbok in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, making his 51st appearance. Bryan Habana holds the records with 53 appearances.

Match officials

  • The referee is Paul Williams of New Zealand. This will be his 10th Test match as a referee, but his first involving South Africa.
  • The Assistant Referees are Matthew Carley and Karl Dickson, both from England, while Rowan Kitt, also from England, will be the TMO.