Only six males have performed 100 Tests for the Springboks, making them the gold normal for South African rugby.
Among the variety of Springboks with 100 caps or extra are skippers, report try-scorers and factors machines.
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The most-capped Springboks: Who has performed the most for South Africa
Percy Montgomery – 102 caps
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(ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
Montgomery made his Springbok debut in opposition to the British and Irish Lions at Kings Park in 1997; he would play for his nation for over a decade and gained the Rugby World Cup in 2007.
He might have earned extra caps for the Springboks had he not hung out enjoying in Wales with Newport. He missed the 2003 World Cup on account of enjoying abroad and an 18-month suspension for pushing a contact decide. Montgomery was nonetheless the first Springbok to earn 100 Test caps.
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Montgomery introduced his retirement from worldwide rugby on 30 August 2008, after the Springboks beat Australia 53-8 of their final Test of the 2008 Tri-Nations.
He is the Springboks all-time main points-scorer with 893 factors to his identify.
The most well-known names
Jean de Villiers – 109 caps
Photo: SA Rugby
De Villiers made a reputation for himself at worldwide degree with the Blitzboks, enjoying a significant position in groups that completed second in the 2001-02 IRB World Sevens Series and took bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
He impressed as a part of the Junior Springboks facet that gained the IRB U21 World Championships in 2002. His excellent match, which included 4 tries, noticed him rewarded along with his first senior Springbok cap in opposition to France in November the identical 12 months.
His profession was stricken by harm leaving one to surprise simply what number of caps he may need earned with higher luck in the division.
He is the solely member of the 100-club by no means to have gained the Rugby World Cup with harm ruling him out of the victorious 2007 marketing campaign.
De Villiers performed his 109th and ultimate check in opposition to Samoa in Birmingham on 26 September in a Rugby World Cup pool match. He fractured his jaw throughout the bodily contest and would retire after withdrawing from the match.
He captained the Springboks in 37 Test matches.
Current most-capped Springboks’ star
John Smit – 111 Caps
Smit will not be solely the fifth most-capped Springbok of all-time but additionally holds the report for the most matches as skipper of the Green and Gold.
He led the Springboks to RWC glory in 2007 and would skipper South Africa to victory over the British and Irish Lions in 2009.
Smit made his debut in opposition to Canada in 2000 and would stay in and round the Springbok group till his retirement in 2011.
He appeared in a report 46 consecutive Test matches between 2003 and 2007.
When Jake White was appointed as the new Springboks’ coach in early 2004 he handed Smit the captaincy completely. Smit would captain the facet in 83 Tests.
He retired after the Springboks controversial exit from the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Eben Eztebeth – 112 caps
Eben Etzebeth is the solely present participant amongst these with a century of Springbok caps.
Etzebeth performed his one centesimal Test for the Springboks in opposition to Wales in 2022 and ended that season on 110 caps.
In 2023 to this point, Etzebeth has added an extra two Test appearances to maneuver previous John Smit and develop into fourth most-capped.
Icon and legends
Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira – 117 caps
Mtawarira earned extra caps for the Springboks than some other front-row ahead, enjoying his 117th and final sport when the Boks lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy in Yokohama in 2019.
He scored simply two tries in his profession however his work in the scrums and as a ball-carrier greater than made up for an absence of factors.
Mtawarira made his debut for the Springboks in opposition to Wales on 14 June 2008.
He established himself as a world pressure in the 2009 collection in opposition to the British and Irish Lions. Scrumming in opposition to Phil Vickery in the first Test Mtawarira dominated his extra skilled opponent, resulting in Vickery being substituted after 45 minutes, and a man-of-the-match award for Beast.
Mtawarira additionally holds the report for the most Super Rugby caps by a South African with 160 caps which all got here in the colors of the Sharks.
Second-most capped Springbok
Bryan Habana – 124 caps
The Springboks all-time main try-scorer, Habana saved up a terrific strike-rate all through his profession anding with 67 tries from 124 Test matches.
The 2007 IRB Player of the Year, Habana is considered considered one of the most deadly wingers ever to play the sport. He is fourth on the Springboks all-time factors scorers record regardless of having by no means taken a shot at aim.
In 2007 Habana equalled the late nice Jonah Lomu’s Rugby World Cup report for the most tries at a single match.
Habana made his Springboks debut on a November tour to Europe, taking his bow at Twickenham in opposition to England. He hung up his boots after one other collection of November worldwide in 2016.
The huge canine
Victor Matfield – 127 caps
Arguably the best second-row ahead the sport has ever seen Matfield had an extended and fruitful partnership with Springbok enforcer Bakkies Botha.
Matfield made his Springbok Test debut in 2001 going through the touring Italy facet and shortly established himself as a daily.
His lineout prowess aided the Springboks 2004 revival beneath the management of Jake White.
He was central to the profitable 2007 RWC marketing campaign and gained the Man of the Match award in the ultimate in opposition to England for his good work in the lineout.
Matfield additionally captained the Springboks and was a part of two of South Africa’s three Tri-Nations title wins in 2004 and 2009.
His ultimate match for the Springboks was the 2015 Rugby World Cup third-place playoff in opposition to Argentina.
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