• The 2011 tournament in New Zealand will be the largest sporting event ever held in New Zealand, with around 70,000 visitors from all over the world expected to attend.
• Since the Springboks inception at IRB Rugby World Cup in 1995, the All Blacks has never again won the Webb Ellis Trophy.
• The Springboks have never lost to Canada, Fiji, Georgia, Namibia, Romania, Spain, Tonga, USA, Uruguay, Argentina, Portugal or Samoa.
• Percy Montgomery is the first Springbok to have played in 100 tests. He retired in 2008 after a record 102 tests & 893 points in the Springbok jersey. Victor Matfield & John Smit also have 100 test caps now.
• In 2005, the Springboks scored 134 points against Uruguay (this is the most points they have ever scored in a test match ever).
• 12 towns and cities throughout New Zealand will host matches during the Rugby World Cup (deciding on the host cities was a 22-month process for New Zealand).
• South Africa’s first international test match took place at Port Elizabeth’s St George’s Park in 1891.
• Ellis Park was built in 1928, and in 1955 hosted a record 100,000 people in a test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.
• When the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup on home turf in 1995, Nelson Mandela wore the No 6 shirt of the team’s captain – Francois Pienaar.

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Sources: www.firstscience.com; www.scottishrugbyblog.co.uk; www.rugby15.co.za; www.suite101.com