Eben Etzebeth will – in all likelihood – equal Victor Matfield’s record of most Springbok Test caps on Saturday, 21 September against Argentina.
Kick-off in Santiago is at 23:00 (SA time).
Coach Rassie Erasmus named his 23-man matchday squad on Tuesday, and, as reported by The South African website, Etzebeth will start on the bench.
Matfield currently holds the record for Springbok Test caps with 127, with Etzebeth on 126, two ahead of former winger Bryan Habana.
Only four other players – out of the 944 to have worn the famed green and gold jersey – have to date reached the 100-Test milestone.
With the Springboks set to play five more Tests in 2024 (including the clash against the Pumas), assuming he stays injury-free, Etzebeth will assume the outright mantle of most-capped Springbok well before the year is out.
He could potentially break the record in the ‘return’ Rugby Championship fixture against Argentina on Saturday, 28 September at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Etzebeth still has ample time on his side considering he will only turn 33 in late October.
So, how do the stellar careers of Victor Matfield and Eben Etzebeth compare?
| Victor Matfield | Eben Etzebeth | |
| Place of birth | 11 May 1977 | 29 October 1991 |
| Current age | 47 | 32 |
| Place of birth | Pietersburg | Cape Town |
| School | Hoërskool Pietersburg | Tygerberg |
| Springbok # | 705 | 833 |
| Position | Lock | Lock |
| Tests played | 127 | 126 |
| First Test | v Italy, Port Elizabeth, 2001 | v England, Durban, 2012 |
| Age on debut | 24 | 20 |
| Last Test | v Argentina, London, 2015 | v New Zealand, Cape Town, 2024 |
| Age in final Test | 38 | 32 * |
| Test points | 35 | 30 |
| Tests won | 79 | 79 |
| Tests lost | 46 | 42 |
| Tests drawn | 2 | 5 |
Below, every Springbok – past and present – to have played 80 or more Tests ahead of the tour to Argentina:
| Player | Tests | Tries |
| Victor Matfield | 127 | 7 |
| Eben Etzebeth * | 126 | 6 |
| Bryan Habana | 124 | 67 |
| Tendai Mtawarira | 117 | 2 |
| John Smit | 111 | 8 |
| Jean de Villiers | 109 | 27 |
| Percy Montgomery | 102 | 25 |
| Willie le Roux * | 97 | 15 |
| Joost van der Westhuizen | 89 | 38 |
| Ruan Pienaar | 88 | 8 |
| Siya Kolisi * | 88 | 11 |
| Schalk Burger | 86 | 16 |
| Bakkies Botha | 85 | 7 |
| Damian De Allende * | 84 | 11 |
| Steven Kitshoff * | 83 | 2 |
| Pieter-Steph du Toit * | 83 | 9 |
| Os du Randt | 80 | 5 |
TEAMS
Argentina
TBA
South Africa
15 – Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), 13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), 12 – Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), 9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), 8 – Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks), 7 – Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), 6 – Marco van Staden (Bulls), 5 – Ruan Nortje (Bulls), 4 – Salmaan Moerat (captain, Stormers), 3 – Thomas du Toit (Bath), 2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), 1 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Substitutes: 16 – Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), 17 – Gerhard Steenekamp (VBulls), 18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 19 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 20 – Elrigh Louw (Bulls), 21- Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), 22 – Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 23 – Manie Libbok (Stormers)
How many Tests will Eben Etzebeth play before hanging up his boots?
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