In the grand scheme of things it might not matter where you were born, what your surname is or which school you attended, but history shows that these details may help your Springbok chances!
Heading into the 2025 international season, 945 players have been capped at Springbok level.
Springbok No 1 was Benjamin Duff back in 1891, while Cameron Hanekom in late 2024 became the 945th and most recent player to have donned the famed green and gold colours of the reigning world champions.
For the record, Duff was born in Swellendam, while Hanekom hails from Ceres.
Most common Springbok cities of birth
Top Springbok schools
Meanwhile, no fewer than 15 schools can count 10 or more Springboks as Old Boys.
Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch has produced the most Springboks – including Paul Roos himself. RankSchoolPlayers1Paul Roos Gymnasium562Grey College483Bishops434SACS325Paarl Gimnasium316Paarl Boys’ High267Kimberley Boys’ High238Rondebosch21T9Grey High School17T9Maritzburg College1711Wynberg Boys High1612Dale College1313St Andrew’s (Grahamstown)12T14Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool11T14Hottentots-Holland11 Most common Springbok surname
Most common Springbok surname
Meanwhile, among those 945 Springboks, any guesses as to which SURNAME has been the most common?
The answer is no ‘Van der Merwe’ joke!
Top 13 most common Springbok surnames: RankSurnameNumber1Van der Merwe132Du Plessis11T3Louw10T3Morkel10T5Botha9T5Du Preez9T5Du Toit9T8Smith8T8Van Zyl8T8Venter8T11De Villiers7T11Le Roux7T11Muller7
These are the 13 Van der Merwe’s to have represented the Springboks (in alphabetical order): NameSpringbok #Akker van der Merwe902Alvi van der Merwe221Bertus van der Merwe323Carel van der Merwe703Edwill van der Merwe935Fiks van der Merwe273Flip van der Merwe818Flippie van der Merwe526Franco van der Merwe846Heinke van der Merwe790Johann van der Merwe433Marcel van der Merwe858Stompie van der Merwe365
So there you have it.
Incredibly, not a single one of the 945 Springboks to date can lay claim to ticking all three boxes.
The closest anyone comes is Springbok #935 Edwill van der Merwe who did attend Paul Roos, but was born in Stellenbosch. How many are true for you: Cape Town-born, Paul Roos educated, with the surname Van der Merwe?
How many are true for you: Cape Town-born, Paul Roos educated, with the surname Van der Merwe?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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