South Africa - Rugby World Cup Team Stats
South Africa won the world cup the first time they entered in 1995.
They have won all three of their opening world cup games to date.
They have only ever lost three world cup matches, to Australia in 1999, England and New Zealand in 2003.
They have played New Zealand in all three of their world cups and beaten them twice.
Their highest victory in a world cup match was the 72-6 win against Uruguay in 2003.
The 29-9 defeat by New Zealand in the 2003 quarter final was their biggest loss.
South Africa have conceded less tries than any other team in the world cup, just 13 in total.
Jannie de Beer is the 6th highest scorer in a world cup match with the 34 he scored against England in the 1999 quarter final.
He also holds the record for drop goals in one match with the 5 he kicked in that game.
De Beer also holds the South African world cup record of 6 penalties against Australia in 1999 and 6 conversions against Spain in 1999.
With 97, de Beer has scored the most points for South Africa in the world cup.
Chester Williams is the only South African to score 4 tries in a world cup match, doing so against Sunday’s opponents Samoa in 1995. The only other South African to score 3 tries in a match is Joost van der Westhuizen against Uruguay in 2003.
Chester Williams was the only black player in the South Africa line up when they won the world cup in 1995.
South Africa are one of only 4 nations to have ‘nilled’ a team when they beat Canada 20-0 in 1995.
South Africa have had two players sent off in the world cup. James Dalton against Canada in 1995 and Brendan Venter against Uruguay in 1999. No South African has ever received a yellow card.
South Africa won 10 consecutive world cup matches between 25th May 1995 and 30th October 1999.
South African Andre Watson has refereed the last two world cup finals.
Adrian Garvey played for Zimbabwe in the 1991 world cup and South Africa in the 1999 world cup.
Joost van der Westhuizen scored a try in the very first minute for South Africa against Uruguay in 2003.
South Africa have played in the two worst attended world cup matches. They drew only 3500 spectators to Hampden Park, Glasgow against Uruguay in 1999, five days after attracting 4769 to Murrayfield to see them beat Spain.