Publications
- The Springboks have a record of 70% wins at Ellis Park. Of 44 Tests played at the venue they’ve won 31, lost 11 and drawn 2.
- The Boks have won eight of the 13 Tests played against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
- The two traditional opponents last clashed at Ellis Park in 2004. The Boks won by 14 points.
- The Springboks won the past two Tests against the All Blacks at Ellis Park with bonus points. They’ll have to do it again if they want to win the Rugby Championship.
- Two Boks who played in the 2004 Test are in Saturday’s team – captain Jean de Villiers and scrumhalf Fourie du Preez.
- Only one All Black in Saturday’s team has played against the Boks at Ellis Park – hooker Keven Mealamu.
- These players have each scored two tries in the 2013 Rugby Championship: Adriaan Strauss, Zane Kirchner, Jean de Villiers and Willie le Roux (SA), and Julian Savea and Aaron Smith (NZ). All Black fullback Ben Smith is way ahead though – he’s scored seven tries so far in the 2013 series.
- Morné Steyn has scored the most points in the Rugby Championship series – 81.
- All Black captain Richie McCaw has played in 105 Tests but has never before played against South Africa at Ellis Park.
- Only two Springboks have managed to score a hat-trick against the All Blacks: Ray Mordt (1981) and Marius Joubert (2004). Watch videos (YOU TV link?) of them scoring their hat-tricks below. (Bryan Habana also scored a hat-trick against the All Blacks but did it while playing for the Barbarians in 2009.)
Ray Mordt in 1981 at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand:
Marius Joubert in 2004 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg:
