Vincent Koch joins exclusive 50+ Test Springbok club

Springbok prop Vincent Koch became the 49th player to play 50 Tests in the green and gold jersey when he ran out against Wales at Twickenham in London on Saturday.

As reported by the SAPeople website, Koch was initially set to start on the bench, but when fellow front-ranker Frans Malherbe learned that his team-mate was making his 50th appearance, he asked to step down and be replaced in the starting XV by Koch.

Victor Matfield leads the way

The list of all-time Springbok caps is led by retired second-rower Victor Matfield on 127.

However, Eben Etzebeth (third with 120 Tests) is fast closing in on that record mark.

The Springboks have seven Test centurions.

The players most likely to add to that tally are Willie le Roux (93 Tests), and Siya Kolisi and Steven Kitshoff who both have played 83 Tests.

Meanwhile, the next player to join the 50-Test club should be wing Makazole Mapimpi who currently has 42 caps to his name.

Incidentally, Koch is the only member of the 50-Test club never to have scored a point for South Africa.