Springboks have 1,012 caps and point to prove as they set out to reclaim No 1 spot

SPRINGBOK veteran Pieter Steph du Toit to join club of centurions with his 100th Test cap against the All Blacks in Cape Town on Saturday.

If experience counts for anything — and it does in international rugby — the Springboks are set to field the most experienced starting XV in their 105-year history when they face the All Blacks in Saturday’s second Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test in Cape Town.

If Siya Kolisi is cleared to play, the Boks’ starting lineup will boast a staggering 1,012 Test caps, surpassing any previous Springbok starting XV since South Africa played its first Test in 1891.

There are 428 caps in the backline and 584 among the forwards, with another 204 caps potentially available among the replacements.

The total is boosted by the extraordinary experience of Eben Etzebeth, with 142 caps, Kolisi on 104, and the recent centurions Damian de Allende and Pieter-Steph du Toit, who will earn his 100th cap on Saturday.