List of South Africa national rugby union team records

Last updated

South Africa (known as the Springboks) area Rugby Union National Team that played their first international match in 1891.

Contents

The records listed below only include performances in Test matches. The top five are listed in each category (except when there is a tie for the last place among the five, when all the tied record holders are noted).

Team records

Jaque Fourie and Percy Montgomery (in green) playing for South Africa against Samoa. Percy Montgomery against Samoa.jpg
Jaque Fourie and Percy Montgomery (in green) playing for South Africa against Samoa.
Greatest winning margin [1]
Points margin (score)Opposing teamVenueYear
131 (134–3) Uruguay Buffalo City Stadium, East London2005
101 (101–0) Italy Kings Park Stadium, Durban1999
92 (105–13) Namibia Newlands Stadium, Cape Town2007
87 (87–0) Namibia North Harbour Stadium, Auckland2011
83 (96–13) Wales Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria1998
Greatest losing margin [2]
Points margin (score)Opposing teamVenueYear
57 (0-57) New Zealand QBE Stadium, Albany2017
50 (3–53) England Twickenham Stadium, London2002
49 (0–49) Australia Lang Park, Brisbane2006
42 (15-57) New Zealand Kings Park Stadium,Durban2016
36 (16–52) New Zealand Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria2003

Individual records

Most caps

#NamePeriodCapsStartsSubsPosition
1 Victor Matfield 2001–20151271216Lock
2 Bryan Habana 2004–20161241222Wing
3 Eben Etzebeth 2012–1191136Lock
4 Tendai Mtawarira 2008–201911710215Prop
5 John Smit 2000–20111119417Hooker
6 Jean de Villiers 2002–20151091054Centre
7 Percy Montgomery 1997–20081029012Fullback
8 Willie le Roux 2013–947915Fullback
9 Joost van der Westhuizen 1993–2003897811Scrum-half
10 Ruan Pienaar 2006–2015884543Scrum-half

Most points

#PlayerPeriodPointsCapsTriesConPenDGAve
1 Percy Montgomery 1997–20088931022515314868.75
2 Morné Steyn 2009–20217426881021561010.91
3 Handré Pollard 2014–69869796152510.12
4 Bryan Habana 2004–2016335124670002.7
5 Elton Jantjies 2012–331462666217.2
6 Naas Botha 1980–199231228250501811.14
7 Joel Stransky 1993–19962402263047310.91
8 Braam van Straaten 1999–20012212122355010.52
9 Joost van der Westhuizen 1993–200319089380002.13
10 Jannie de Beer 1997–19991811323327815.08

Most tries

#NamePeriodTriesCapsAve.Position
1 Bryan Habana 2004–2017 67 12454%Wing
2 Joost van der Westhuizen 1993–2003388942.7%Scrum-half
3 Jaque Fourie 2003–2013327244.4%Centre
4 Jean de Villiers 2002–20152710924.8%Centre
5 Makazole Mapimpi 2018–264163.4%Wing
Breyton Paulse 1997–2007266440.6%Wing
7 Percy Montgomery 1997–20082510224.5%Fullback
8 JP Pietersen 2006–2016247034.3%Wing
9 Pieter Rossouw 1997–2003214348.8%Wing
10 James Small 1992–1997204742.6%Wing

Most appearances as captain

#NamePeriodAppsWin %Position
1 John Smit 2003–20118365.1%Hooker
2 Siya Kolisi 2018–5362.3%Flanker
3 Jean de Villiers 2012–20153764.9%Centre
4 Gary Teichmann 1996–19993672.2%Number 8
5 Francois Pienaar 1993–19962965.5%Flanker

Match records

Most points in a match [3]
PointsPlayerOpposing teamVenueYear
35 Percy Montgomery Namibia Newlands Stadium, Cape Town2007
34 Jannie de Beer England Stade de France, Saint-Denis1999
31 Percy Montgomery Wales Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria1998
Morné Steyn New Zealand Kings Park Stadium, Durban2009
Handré Pollard Argentina Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta2019
Most tries in a match [4]
TriesPlayerOpposing teamVenueYear
6 Tonderai Chavhanga Uruguay Buffalo City Stadium, East London2005
5 Stefan Terblanche Italy Kings Park Stadium, Durban1999
4 Chester Williams Samoa Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg1995
Pieter Rossouw France Parc des Princes, Paris1997
Stefan Terblanche Ireland Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein1998
Bryan Habana Samoa Parc des Princes, Paris2007
Jongi Nokwe Australia Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg2008

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