The match up for the round two of the Boer v Black saga, 2008.

OK, again this week the Boers with more caps than the All Blacks by a country mile - their starting XV having more caps than the entire All Black match day 22.

The Biltong Biters pack is also almost twice as experienced as their All Black counterparts - four of the All Black starting eight totaling 14 caps between them, once again putting the onus on the Blacks to step up to the plate and stop the Steroid Brutes.  The Brutes lost a ton of caps with Smit not playing this week, but after last weeks form, Bismark probably a better option anyway..!

The only experience/caps battle the All Blacks win is on the bench, where the Bokke have just 69 caps, and not a lot of firepower to bring to the table should they need it late in the match.

Boer team Stats: (unofficial team)

15  Percy Montgomery (Perpignan, France)  :  34 years  :  97 tests  :  1.84m  :  84kg
14  JP Pietersen (Sharks)  :  21 years  :  16 tests  :  1.93m  :  91kg
13  Adrian Jacobs (Sharks)  :  27 years  :  13 tests  :  1.79m  :  88kg
12  Jean de Villiers (Western Province)  :  27 years  :  37 tests  :  1.90m  :  98kg
11  Bryan Habana (Blue Bulls)  :  25 years  :  40 tests  :  1.79m  :  90kg
10  Butch James (Bath, England)  :  28 years  :  29 tests  :  1.86m  :  100kg
9  Ricky Januarie (Western Province)  :  26 years  :  25 tests  :  1.68m  :  75kg

Backline tests:  257, average 37.

8  Joe van Niekerk (Lions)  :  28 years  :  48 tests  :  1.93m  :  105kg
7  Juan Smith (Western Province)  :  26 years  :  46 tests  :  1.96m  :  104kg
6  Schalk Burger (Western Province)  :  25 years  :  41 tests  :  1.93m  :  106kg
5  Victor Matfield (Toulon, France)  :  31 years  :  71 tests  :  2.00m  :  115kg
4  Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls)  :  28 years  :  49 tests  :  2.01m  :  120kg
3  CJ van der Linde (Cheetahs)  :  27 years  :  51 tests  :  1.89m  :  125kg
2  Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)  :  24 years  :  14 tests  :  1.89m  :  112kg
1  Gurthro Steenkamp (Blue Bulls)  :  27 years  :  16 tests  :  1.89m  :  120kg

Forward pack tests:  336 tests, average 42.

16  Schalk Britz (Western Province)  :  27 years  :  1 test  :  1.82m  :  97kg
17  Brian Mujati (Western Province)  :  23 years  :  3 tests  :  1.81m  :  116kg
18  Andries Bekker (Western Province)  :  24 years  :  4 tests  :  2.08m  :  120kg
19  Luke Watson (Western Province)  :  24 years  :  5 tests  :  1.84m  :  100kg
20  Ruan Pienaar(xxxx)  :  23 years  :  21 tests  :  1.87m  :  90kg
21  Francois Steyn (Sharks)  :  21 years  :  20 tests  :  1.91m  :  100kg
22  Conrad Jantjes (Western Province)  :  28 years  :  15 tests  :  1.83m  :  89kg

Reserve tests:  69 tests, average 10.
Total tests:  662, average 30.

All Black team stats: (official team)

1  Tony Woodcock (North Harbour, Blues) : 27 years : 40 tests : 1.84m : 118kg
2  Andrew Hore (Taranaki, Hurricanes) : 29 years : 29 tests : 1.83m : 111kg
3  John Afoa (Auckland, Blues) : 24 years : 4 tests : 1.83m : 126kg
4  Ali Williams (Tasman, Crusaders) : 27 years : 50 tests ; 2.02m : 112kg
5  Anthony Boric (North Harbour, Blues) : 24 years : 2 tests : 2.00m : 110kg
6  Adam Thomson (Otago, Highlanders) : 26 years : 3 tests : 1.96m : 112kg
7  Rodney So’oialo (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 28 years : 45 tests : 1.90m : 107kg
8  Jerome Kaino (Auckland, Blues) : 25 years : 5 tests : 1.96m : 109kg

Forward pack tests:  178 tests, average 22.

9  Andy Ellis (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 24 years : 8 tests ; 1.81m : 92kg
10  Dan Carter (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 26 years : 48 tests : 1:78m : 91kg
12 Ma’a Nonu (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 26 years : 22 tests : 1.82m : 102kg
11  Rudi Wulf (North Harbour, Blues) : 26 years : 2 tests : 1.85m : 100kg
13  Conrad Smith (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 26 years ; 15 tests : 1.86m : 95kg
14  Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato, Chiefs) : 26 years : 25 tests : 1.85m : 100kg
15  Mils Muliaina  (Waikato, Chiefs) : 27 years : 59 tests : 1.83m : 93kg

Backline tests:  179, average 25.

16  Keven Mealamu (Auckland, Blues) : 29 years : 54 tests : 1.81m : 106kg
17  Neemia Tialata (Wellington, Hurricanes) : 25 years : 25 tests : 1.87m : 129kg
18  Kevin O'Neil (Waikato, Chiefs) : 26 years : new cap : 2.01m : 117kg
19  Sione Lauaki (Waikato, Chiefs) : 26 years : 14 tests : 1.94m : 115kg
20  Jimmy Cowan (Southland, Highlanders) : 26 years : 12 tests : 1.82m : 91kg
21  Stephen Donald (Waikato, Chiefs) : 24 years : 2 tests : 1.90m : 98kg
22  Leon MacDonald (Canterbury, Crusaders) : 30 years : 56 tests : 1.81m : 96kg

Reserve tests:  163 tests, average 23.
Total tests:  520, average 24.