Only 15 gamers can begin any Test, however equally necessary nowadays are these eight gamers who come off the bench.
No extra so the case than with the Springboks who’ve taken the ‘Bomb squad’ idea to a brand new stage.
But which Springbok has began extra Tests on the substitutes’ bench than some other?
Considering that eight of the highest 11 gamers with most Tests off the pine are frontrankers, it maybe comes as no shock that prop Steven Kitshoff has probably the most caps off the bench.
Kitshoff has began 54 of his 83 Tests to this point as an alternative.
The 32-year-old Paul Roos outdated boy made his debut – off the bench – in opposition to Ireland on the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 25 June 2016.
Kitshoff, who’s Springbok #873, has scored two tries within the inexperienced and gold jersey.
In second place within the checklist of most Tests off the bench is one other prop Trevor Nyakane (49 Tests) with one other frontranker Ollie le Roux tied with scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar on 43 Tests.
Kitshoff is at the moment on the injured checklist and can play no half within the Springboks’ Incoming Series matches.
TEAMS
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handré Pollard 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Ireland
TBA
Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17.00
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
MOST SPRINGBOK TESTS AS A SUBSTITUTE
At least 30 Tests performed
Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard will stretch their lead as South Africa’s record halfback pairing after they run out in opposition to Ireland at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, 13 July.
Kick-off is at 17:00.
The duo have mixed in 26 Tests to this point – and can accomplish that for a twenty seventh time in Durban this weekend.
De Klerk and Pollard maintain the lead over Joost van der Westhuizen and Henry Honiball (24 Tests), with Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn having paired up in 19 Tests (third most).
Neither De Klerk nor Pollard had memorable Tests final weekend at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and can be trying to enhance in Durban.
De Klerk can be enjoying in his 58th Test this weekend, whereas Pollard will put on the inexperienced and gold jersey for the 71st time.
Meanwhile, Pollard closed the hole on second-placed Morne Steyn within the checklist of Springbok Test factors scorers final weekend.
Pollard scored 10 factors within the Springboks’ 27-20 win over Ireland within the first of their two Tests at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, thanks to 2 penalties and two conversions.
Pollard now has 708 factors within the 70 Tests he has performed within the inexperienced and gold jersey at a mean of 10 factors per match.
He trails Steyn by simply 34 factors and will surpass his fellow flyhalf throughout the course of 2024.
Pollard’s 708 Test factors have come by way of seven tries, 98 conversions, 154 penalties and 5 drop objectives.
Percy Montgomery stays the highest scorer in Springbok historical past with 893 factors in 102 Tests.
SPRINGBOKS TO HAVE SCORED 200 TEST POINTS OR MORE
Finally, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel will set a brand new, all-time record centre partnership record for South Africa in opposition to Ireland at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
The duo teamed up for the twenty ninth time in midfield final weekend in Pretoria – and each performed key roles in serving to the Springboks to a 27-20 victory – and to maintain their No 1 World Rugby rating.
That tied the earlier record held by Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie.
The Test was De Allende’s eightieth within the inexperienced and gold jersey, whereas Kriel made his seventieth look.
This weekend the pair will break the record after they mix in midfield within the second Test in opposition to the Irish after being named in Rassie Erasmus’s crew introduced on Tuesday.
South Africa has been blessed with quite a lot of world-class midfielders over time.
From John Gainsford to Tjol Lategan to Hennie le Loux and Japie Mulder within the 1995 Rugby World Cup, to call however just a few.
Below, the Springbok centre mixtures to have performed 10 or extra Tests collectively (right previous to Durban Test):
Which pairing is the Springboks’ biggest ever halfback mixture?
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