Tonight the Qantas Wallabies kick off their 2015 Test campaign. The Wallabies will take on Springboks who are currently ranked second in the world.
Here are 10 things you might not have known going into the match.
1.The Wallabies and the Springboks have played each other a total of eight times at Suncorp Stadium, with the Wallabies winning on seven occasions. However the Springboks broke Australia’s undefeated winning streak the last time they played, in 2013, winning 38-12.
2. Matt Giteau has scored the most points against South Africa in Wallaby history and it’s his first International Test in four years.
3. Australia’s biggest ever winning margin against South Africa took place at Suncorp Stadium, when the Wallabies posted a 49-0 defeat over the Springboks in 2006.
4. If all 23 players take the field, this will be the most experienced Wallabies team in Australian Rugby history (1023 caps), surpassing their previous record of 898 caps against the All Blacks at Eden Park in 2007.
5. It’s been 2,849 days since Greg Holmes played his last Test match for Australia. His last Test match was against Canada at Bordeaux, on Sep 29th, 2007.
6. Quade Cooper and Will Genia haven’t started a Test together since November 2013.
7. Three of Australia’s last four victories over the Springboks have come when the Wallabies were behind going into half-time behind on the scoreboard.
8. South Africa have won three out of the last five matches against Australia.
9. Between 1921 and 2014, the two teams have played each other 80 times with the Wallabies winning 34 and losing 48. There has been one draw at home in Perth in 2001.
10. The Wallabies’ longest winning streak against the Springboks is 5 matches spanning two years; starting in September 2010, where they were undefeated for 3 matches in 2011, ending in September 2012.
Tune into Fox Sports and Channel 10 from 7:30pm AEST the 18th of July, to see the Qantas Wallabies take on the Springboks in their opening match of the Rugby Championship.
