Australia v South Africa, Tri-Nations, September 5
Wallabies banking on Brisbane boost?
Scrum.com
September 1, 2009
Australia's Matt Giteau dives in to score a try, Australia v South Africa, Tri-Nations, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia, July 15, 2006
Australia's Matt Giteau dives in to score a try during the Wallabies' 49-0 victory over the Springboks in Brisbane in 2006 © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Matt Giteau | Stirling Mortlock
Tournaments/Tours: Tri Nations
Grounds: Lang Park

Australia entertain South Africa at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday in the 71st meeting of the two sides.

The Springboks hold the historical advantage over the Wallabies with 43 victories to their rivals' 26 since their first meeting in Sydney in 1921 - won 25-10 by the visitors. The only draw between the two sides came in Perth in 2001 while South Africa recorded the most recent victory with a 32-25 success in their Tri-Nations clash at the Subiaco Oval last week.

Prior to South Africa's readmission to international sport in 1992, Australia had won just seven of the 31 matches played. The scoreboard stands 19 wins each, along with the draw, in the time since then. South Africa have prevailed only four times on Australian soil since 1992; and just three times in the 16 matches of the Tri-Nations era, which kicked off in 1996.

South Africa has won ten of their last 11 Tests since losing 15-27 at home to Australia in Durban last year. The only defeat sustained since was a 9-28 reverse against the British & Irish Lions in the 'dead' third rubber of that series, when the Boks fielded a much changed side from that which had won the two earlier Tests.

Since 2000, the countries have also competed for the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate - named after South Africa's first post-apartheid president, Nelson Mandela. South Africa reclaimed the trophy for the first time since 2005 with victory over their rivals last weekend.

The two sides have clashed in Brisbane on nine previous occasions with Australia claiming seven victories to South Africa's two. At the Suncorp Stadium that will play host to Saturday's clash, Australia have won the five previous matches dating back to their first meeting at the formerly-named Lang Park in 1965.

Suncorp Stadium is one of four Test venues that have been used in Brisbane. The others are Ballymore, the Brisbane Exhibition Ground and the Woollongabba Ground, which is better known as the city's venue for cricket.

At the most recent meeting between the two teams in the city, Australia won by a record 49-0 scoreline, scoring six tries in the process. Matt Giteau, who also appeared at inside centre that night and scored two tries, George Smith, Rocky Elsom and Mark Chisholm (who came off the bench and also scored a try) are Australia's only survivors from that occasion.

Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock holds the record for the most points scored in clashes between the sides with a personal tally of 150 points.

All-time record: South Africa won 43, Australia won 26, drawn 1

Biggest winning margin: SA: 45, 53-8 at Johannesburg, 2008; Aus: 49, 49-0 at Brisbane, 2006

Highest score: SA: 61 (61-22) at Pretoria, 1997; Aus: 49 (49-0) at Brisbane, 2006

Most tries: SA: 8 (53-8) at Johannesburg, 2008, (61-22) at Pretoria,1997, (28-3) at Johannesburg, 1961; Aus: 6 (49-0) at Brisbane, 2006

Longest winning sequence: SA: 7 (1953-1963) and (1969-1971); Aus: 4 (1999-2000)

Most points (individual) : SA: Percy Montgomery 140; Aus: Stirling Mortlock 150

Most tries (individual) : SA: 7 Breyton Paulse; NZ: 7 Stirling Mortlock

Most points in a Test: SA: 26 Jannie de Beer at Pretoria, 1997; Aus: 29 Stirling Mortlock at Melbourne, 2000

Click Here for South Africa's Test record courtesy of Statsguru

Click Here for Australia's Test record courtesy of Statsguru

Click Here for a record of all Australia v South Africa matches courtesy of Statsguru

Click Here for the Australia v South Africa record at the Suncorp Stadium courtesy of Statsguru

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