The Springbok players selected for the staring lineup for the match against Ireland in Durban on Saturday 13 July have a record-breaking 990 caps between them. This is three more than the run-on team that played in the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in France last year.

‘While it may be an impressive statistic, it will by no means guarantee us a victory,’ said Bok coach Rassie Erasmus. ‘We know we must go out there and play good rugby for the full 80 minutes to get the desired result.’

Between them, the players have scored 1,379 points with 660 of those from 132 tries. All but one (Ox Nche) has scored at least one try. Jesse Kriel leads the pack with 16 tries, while Willie le Roux and Cheslin Kolbe have 15 tries a piece.

Le Roux is now six caps away from being a member of the select club of Springbok centurions, while the young winger needs four points from his 33rd match to reach 100 points for South Africa.

There are 419 caps in the backline, with an average 59 caps per player. The forwards share 571 caps (average of 71), while there are a further 190 on the bench (average of 23).

Playing in his 121st game, lock Eben Etzebeth is closing in on South Africa’s most-capped player, Victor Matfield, who has 127 caps.

Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende will play their 30th test together in the midfield, surpassing Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie’s record of 29.