The ‘Curse’ of the Springboks Centurion Club Strikes Again After the All Blacks Defeat at Ellis Park
- Damian de Allende reached his 100th Test cap for the Springboks against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on 22 August 2026
- De Allende joined a select group of only 10 players to reach the milestone from 958 who have worn the green and gold
- A curious pattern has emerged among Springbok centurions, and de Allende's milestone match continued one particular streak
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Damian de Allende reached a landmark 100 Test caps for the Springboks on Saturday, 22 August 2026, becoming only the 10th player in the team's history to achieve the feat during a 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
The inside centre, who turned 34 on match day, has accumulated 55 points across his Test career via 11 tries, though he has not crossed the whitewash in his last 25 appearances in green and gold.
A rare club with a curious streak
Of the 958 players who have represented South Africa, only 10 have gone on to feature in 100 or more Tests. Five of those players, including de Allende, experienced defeat on the day they reached the milestone, while the other five walked away with victories.
Perhaps most remarkably, not a single Springbok has scored a point in their 100th Test.
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Percy Montgomery was the first to reach the mark, on 16 August 2008 against the All Blacks at Newlands in a match the Springboks lost 19-0. John Smit followed on 21 August 2010, also against New Zealand at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, in a 29-22 defeat. Victor Matfield reached 100 caps just one week later against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld, a match South Africa won 44-31.
Bryan Habana and Jean de Villiers both crossed the threshold within a week of each other in September 2014, with Habana's milestone coming against Australia in Perth and de Villiers' against New Zealand in Wellington. Tendai Mtawarira became the first prop to join the club on 16 June 2018 in Bloemfontein, where the Springboks beat England 23-12.
Eben Etzebeth, the youngest centurion to date, reached 100 Tests at age 30 against Wales on 16 July 2022 in Cape Town, with his wife Anlia singing the national anthem before kick-off. Willie le Roux, the oldest at 35, hit the mark against Italy in Gqeberha on 12 July 2025 in a 45-0 win. Siya Kolisi became the ninth centurion when he captained South Africa to a 32-17 win over France at the Stade de France in Paris on 8 November 2025.
Next in line for 100 caps
Pieter-Steph du Toit, currently on 99 Test caps, is poised to become the 11th member of the club, potentially in Cape Town next weekend.
Jesse Kriel (91 Tests), Malcolm Marx (90 Tests) and Handré Pollard (87 Tests) are also edging towards the milestone in the years ahead.
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Source: Briefly News
