Willie le Roux will become the eighth Springbok centurion on Saturday when South Africa meet Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, marking an incredibly special occasion for a player who has served the team with distinction for over a decade.
Le Roux made his debut against Italy on 8 June 2013 and will celebrate his 100th Test cap against the same opponents 12 years later.
The veteran fullback will follow in the footsteps of other Springbok centurions Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtwawarira, John Smit, Jean de Villiers and Percy Montgomery.
Which Springbok player will follow on from Willie le Roux?
An exciting prospect after this milestone is the fact that none other than Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is next in line to reach the 100-cap mark.
It’s perhaps slipped under the radar that Kolisi is already on 92 caps, and there is every chance he will begin to extend that number from next weekend when the Springboks are expected to give him some game-time before the Rugby Championship.
Interestingly, Erasmus has said just this week that the plan would probably be to play Kolisi in eight to 10 Tests this year if he is fit and available.
That means Kolisi could be in line to earn his 100th Test cap on the end-of-year-tour in 2025, although Erasmus generally attempts to ensure that these sorts of special occasions can be celebrated by the player in question during a Test on home soil.
So this iconic moment could be deferred to next year, but Kolisi does look to be next in line for the Springboks while Damian de Allende (88 caps) and Pieter-Steph du Toit (86) are not far behind.
REMAINING TESTS THIS YEAR
19 July: vs Georgia, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit. Kick off: 17:10.
16 August: vs Australia, Ellis Park, Johannesburg. Kick off: 17:10.
23 August: vs Australia, DHL Stadium, Cape Town. Kick off: 17:10.
6 September: vs New Zealand, Auckland. Kick off: 09:05.
13 September: vs New Zealand, Wellington. Kick off: 09:05.
27 September: vs Argentina, Kings Park, Durban. Kick off: 17:10.
4 October: vs Argentina, London. Kick off: 15:00.
8 November: vs France, Paris. Kick off: TBD.
15 November: vs Italy, Turin. Kick off: TBD.
22 November: vs Ireland, Dublin. Kick off: 19:40.
29 November: vs Wales, Cardiff. Kick off: 17:10.
WHEN DO YOU THINK THE BOK CAPTAIN WILL REACH THIS MILESTONE?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
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