Eben Etzebeth hits 100 Test caps, but who are the other six Boks on the list?

Springbok lock enforcer Eben Etzebeth will win a 100th Test cap against Wales in Cape Town on Saturday.

The 30-year-old Boks hard man, who made his debut against England in June 2012, will become South Africa’s seventh player to reach the significant career milestone.

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But, who are the others? We take a look at the six Bok centurions.

South African players with the most Test rugby caps

Victor Matfield – 127 caps

The lock played for the Boks between 2001 and 2015 and earned a total of 127 caps. He was a star for the Bulls, winning the Currie Cup and Super Rugby titles, on multiple occasions, and also led the Boks on 21 occasions. He also won the Tri-Nations and a series against the British and Irish Lions.

Matfield, who had Eben Etzebeth next to him in the second row for several Tests, was regarded as the best No 5 lock in world rugby during his career and helped the national team to victory at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Bryan Habana – 124 caps

The winger is talked about as one of the best finishers to have played the game, starring for every team he has represented, from the Bulls and Stormers to the Springboks.

Habana, who started his rugby career as a scrumhalf, earned 124 Bok caps between 2004 and 2016. At the 2007 World Cup, which the Boks won, he equalled Jonah Lomu’s eight-try record for the tournament and was later named then IRB player of the year.

Tendai Mtawarira – 117 caps

The “Beast” became a mainstay for the Springboks after moving to South Africa from Zimbabwe and becoming a Sharks stalwart.

Mtawarira played for the Boks between 2008 and 2019, featuring at three World Cups and becoming a winner in 2019, when the Boks beat England in the final.

The big loosehead prop ended his career with 117 caps. He is also still the player with the most Super Rugby caps – 160.

John Smit – 111 caps

The 2007 World Cup winning Springbok captain was widely regarded one of the game’s best leaders during his career with the national team. Smith played at prop before moving to hooker where he starred in Test rugby between 2000 and 2011. He ended his playing days having played 111 Tests.

The now 44 year-old also earned 125 caps for the Sharks. In 2010 when he played his 100th Test, he became South Africa’s second centurion behind Percy Montgomery.

Jean de Villiers – 109 caps

The former Springbok captain, who took over from John Smit in 2012, played for the Boks between 2002 and 2015. He initially played on the wing, but later became one of the game’s and South Africa’s best No 12s.

De Villiers earned a total of 109 caps in a career plagued by injury. The Western Province and Stormers stalwart scored 27 tries for the Boks, many of them intercepts.

Percy Montgomery – 102 caps

The first South African to hit the 100 Test cap mark was fullback Montgomery, who played for the Boks in the early stages of his career at flyhalf and centre.

The now 48-year-old played for South Africa between 1997 and 2008, winning 102 caps, with the highlight of his career coming in 2007 when he played a big role in the Boks winning the World Cup, under Jake White’s coaching.

Montgomery was a big star for Western Province and the Stormers and also featured prominently for Newport and the Dragons in Wales.