Seven hundred caps.  SEVEN HUNDRED CAPS.  Yes, 700 caps running out onto the field for the steroid brutes from the Republic this weekend.  Have I said that there are 700 caps trotting onto the field this weekend for the Boers yet...?

Anyway, holy shit aside, South Africa have a pack that is ooooozing experience this weekend, and that is where the test will be won and lost - if our boys in the pack can handle the men in the Boer pack, then the backlines, where experience slightly favours the All Blacks.

Anyway, let the figures tell the story.

Boer team Stats:

15  Conrad Jantjes (Western Province)  :  28 years  :  14 tests  :  1.83m  :  89kg
14  Odwa Ndungane (Sharks)  :  27 years  :  1 test  :  1.84m  :  95kg
13  Adrian Jacobs (Sharks)  :  27 years  :  12 tests  :  1.79m  :  88kg
12  Jean de Villiers (Western Prrovince)  :  27 years  :  36 tests  :  1.90m  :  98kg
11  Bryan Habana (Blue Bulls)  :  25 years  :  39 tests  :  1.79m  :  90kg
10  Butch James (Bath, England)  :  28 years  :  28 tests  :  1.86m  :  100kg
9  Ricky Januarie (Western Province)  :  26 years  :  24 tests  :  1.68m  :  75kg

Backline tests:  154, average 22.

8  Joe van Niekerk (Lions)  :  28 years  :  47 tests  :  1.93m  :  105kg
7  Juan Smith (Western Province)  :  26 years  :  45 tests  :  1.96m  :  104kg
6  Schalk Burger (Western Province)  :  25 years  :  40 tests  :  1.93m  :  106kg
5  Victor Matfield (Toulon, France)  :  31 years  :  70 tests  :  2.00m  :  115kg
4  Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls)  :  28 years  :  48 tests  :  2.01m  :  120kg
3  CJ van der Linde (Cheetahs)  :  27 years  :  50 tests  :  1.89m  :  125kg
2  John Smit (Clermont, France, captain)  :  30 years  :  77 tests  :  1.88m  :  116kg
1  Gurthro Steenkamp (Blue Bulls)  :  27 years  :  15 tests  :  1.89m  :  120kg

Forward pack tests:  392 tests, average 49.

16  Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)  :  24 years  :  13 tests  :  1.89m  :  112kg
17  Brian Mujati (Western Province)  :  23 years  :  2 tests  :  1.81m  :  116kg
18  Andries Bekker (Western Province)  :  24 years  :  3 tests  :  2.08m  :  120kg
19  Luke Watson (Western Province)  :  24 years  :  4 tests  :  1.84m  :  100kg
20  Bolla Conradie (Western Province)  :  30 years  :  17 tests  :  1.70m  :  78kg
21  Francois Steyn (Sharks)  :  21 years  :  19 tests  :  1.91m  :  100kg
22  Percy Montgomery (Perpignan, France)  :  34 years  :  96 tests  :  1.84m  :  84kg

Reserve tests:  154 tests, average 22.
Total tests:  700, average 32.

All Black team stats:

1  Tony Woodcock (North Harbour, Blues) : 27 years : 39 tests : 1.84m : 118kg
2  Andrew Hore (Taranaki, Hurricanes) : 29 years : 28 tests : 1.83m : 111kg
3  Greg Somerville (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 30 years : 59 tests : 1.87m : 115kg
4  Ali Williams (Tasman, Crusaders) : 27 years : 49 tests ; 2:02m : 112kg
5  Brad Thorn (Tasman, Crusaders) : 33 years : 15 tests : 1:95m : 113kg
6  Adam Thomson (Otago, Highlanders) : 26 years : 2 tests : 1.96m : 112kg
7  Rodney So’oialo (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 28 years : 44 tests : 1.90m : 107kg
8  Jerome Kaino (Auckland, Blues) : 25 years : 4 tests : 1.96m : 109kg

Forward pack tests:  240 tests, average 30.

9  Andy Ellis (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 24 years : 7 tests ; 1.81m : 92kg
10  Dan Carter (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 26 years : 47 tests : 1:78m : 91kg
12 Ma’a Nonu (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 26 years : 21 tests : 1.82m : 102kg
11  Rudi Wulf (North Harbour, Blues) : 26 years : 1 test : 1.85m : 100kg
13  Conrad Smith (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 26 years ; 14 tests : 1.86m : 95kg
14  Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato, Chiefs) : 26 years : 24 tests : 1.85m : 100kg
15  Mils Muliaina  (Waikato, Chiefs) : 27 years : 58 tests : 1.83m : 93kg

Backline tests:  172, average 24.

16  Keven Mealamu (Auckland, Blues) : 29 years : 53 tests : 1.81m : 106kg
17  Neemia Tialata (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 25 years : 24 tests : 1.87m : 129kg
18  Anthony Boric (North Harbour, Blues) : 24 years : 2 tests : 2.00m : 110kg
19  Sione Lauaki (Waikato, Chiefs) : 26 years : 13 tests : 1.94m : 115kg
20  Jimmy Cowan (Southland, Highlanders) : 26 years : 11 tests : 1.82m : 91kg
21  Stephen Donald (Waikato, Chiefs) : 24 years : 2 tests : 1.90m : 98kg
22  Leon MacDonald (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 30 years : 55 tests : 1.81m : 96kg

Reserve tests:  160 tests, average 23.
Total tests:  572, average 26.