The Springboks take on Tonga in their third game of the Pool stages of Rugby World Cup 2007.
Match Details
Event: Rugby World Cup 2007 Pool A Round 3
Date: Saturday 22 September 2007
Venue: Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens
Kick-off: 14.00 SA (13.00 BST; 12.00 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Touch judges: Paul Marks, Federico Cuesta
TMO: Malcolm Changleng
Current Pool A Log Standings
[TABLE=17]
Springbok Team
[TABLE=40]
Monty – On the bench just in case
Match Facts
This will only be the second time that South Africa will compete with Tonga in a Test match. In 1997 the Springboks won comfortably at Newlands with 74-10.
The Springboks have never played at this venue before.
This will be South Africa’s 20th in Rugby World Cup tournaments. Of the previous 19, South Africa won 16, scoring a total of 651 points while 264 points were conceded.
It will be Gary Botha and Gurthro Steenkamp’s RWC debuts.
Bob Skinstad will lead the Springboks for the 12th time
Albert van den Berg will be the most experienced player in the starting 15, with 48 caps.
Percy Montgomery could become the most capped Springbok (90) in Tests, should he take the field from the bench.
André Pretorius needs one drop goal to become the player with the most drop goals in Tests, behind Naas Botha.
This will be Jake White’s 49th Test as Head Coach of the Springboks.
Saturday’s referee is Wayne Barnes of England. His only Test involving the Springboks was earlier this year when South Africa beat Australia in Cape Town with 22-19.
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