Test between Springboks and Wallabies has special significance
Morne Steyn captured in tackle by Will Genia and on camera by Gerhard Steenkamp
Australia v South Africa @ in South Africa – Historical Notes
• This will be the 74th meeting between Australia and South Africa at all venues. Australia has won 28 and South Africa 44, while one match has been drawn.
• Just eight of Australia’s previous wins have been attained on South African soil, with the Springboks taking the other 30 matches that have been played.
• Australia has won just twice previously at high veldt venues – 15-4 in 1933 at Bloemfontein and 11-9 in 1963 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The Wallabies have been beaten on their two most recent visits to Bloemfontein, including their first ever Tri Nations match in the Republic in 1996, which was lost 19-25.
• Australia’s 11-point win over South Africa at Bloemfontein in 1933 is one of just three defeats suffered by the Springboks from 16 Tests played in the Free State capital.
• Vodacom Park is home to the Free State Cheetahs in the domestic South African Currie Cup competition. It is also the home of the Cheetahs in Super Rugby.
• The ground witnessed a then record score during the 1995 Rugby World Cup when New Zealand beat Japan 145-17, with flyhalf Simon Culhane scoring 45 points while winger Marc Ellis totalled six tries. Both still stand as tournament records for one match.
• A year later, Bloemfontein hosted Australia’s maiden match on South African soil in the newly inaugurated Tri Nations tournament featuring Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. This year’s Test will be the Qantas Wallabies’ first visit to Vodacom Park since that match 14 years ago.
• The ground was a host venue for six matches during the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup held in South Africa.
• South Africa hasn’t lost a Test match at Vodacom Park since 2000 when it was edged out 27-22 by England.
• Australia’s most recent win on South African soil was a 27-15 win at Durban in 2008 which secured the Mandela Plate. That success was the first achieved by the Wallabies in the Republic for eight years.
• Prior to South Africa’s readmission to international sport in 1992, Australia had won just seven of the 31 matches played.
• The scoreboard stands at 21 wins to Australia and 20 to South Africa, with one drawn, for the period since then.
Issued by as SARU on behalf of the ARU
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