Springboks: Makazole Mapimpi equals Jaque Fourie’s tally on South Africa’s all-time try scorers list

The Springboks have had their fair share of try-scoring merchants over the years, most notably winger Bryan Habana who tops the all-time list.

Not only is Habana South Africa’s all-time leading try-scorer in Test rugby, he also jointly holds the record for the most tries scored in a single Rugby World Cup (8), along with New Zealand’s Jonah Lomu, Will Jordan and Julian Savea.

Bryan Habana’s Springboks’ try-scoring record

The former flyer crossed for 15 tries in total at Rugby World Cups, a tally only matched by the late great Lomu.

In his 124 Test matches, Habana scored 67 tries for a strike rate better than a try every other game and is far and away the Springboks’ most prolific scorer, retiring from international rugby with 29 tries more than the previous record holder, Joost van der Westhuizen.

Van der Westhuizen’s tally of 38 tries in 89 Springboks Test matches is rather remarkable considering that he played scrum-half. In fact, no other scrum-half in international rugby betters the late Springbok’s tally.

On 10 November 2024, veteran Springboks winger Makazole Mapimpi equalled legendary centre Jaque Fourie and moved into joint third place on the all-time list after scoring a brace of tries in the 32-15 victory over Scotland. The double World Cup winner boasts an impressive try-scoring record crossing for 32 tries in 46 Tests.

Former centre and 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Fourie crossed the whitewash 32 times in 72 Test matches. Remarkably, the centre scored a try against every opposition he faced for the Springboks.

All-time Rugby World Cup player stats: Tries, carries, tackles and much more

Mapimpi moved past Fourie’s long-time centre partner Jean de Villiers with his hat-trick against Portugal earlier in the year, with the ex-skipper scoring 27 times in 109 Tests having surpassed Breyton Paulse – who scored 26 times in 64 Tests – just one month earlier.

Percy Montgomery (25), JP Pietersen (24), Pieter Rossouw (21) and Malcolm Marx (21) complete the top 10 with Marx being the only forward in that bracket.

The double World Cup winner overtook Schalk Burger as South Africa’s leading try-scoring forward when he grabbed his 17th Test try in the Rugby World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand at Twickenham in 2023.

Marx would continue his try-scoring form into 2024 when he became the first forward to notch up 20 tries for the Springboks by scoring a crucial five-pointer against the All Blacks in the 18-12 Cape Town victory.

The late James Small now features in 11th spot behind Marx with his 20 tries in 47 Tests.

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Springboks all-time leading try-scorers

(Tries, name, caps)
*Indicates currently active players

67 – Bryan Habana (124)
38 – Joost van der Westhuizen (89)
32 – Jaque Fourie (72)
32 – Makazole Mapimpi (46)*
27 – Jean de Villiers (109)
26 – Breyton Paulse (64)
25 – Percy Montgomery (102)
24 – JP Pietersen (70)
21 – Pieter Rossouw (43)
21 – Malcolm Marx (75)*
20 – James Small (47)
19 – Danie Gerber (24)
19 – Stefan Terblanche (37)
18 – Cheslin Kolbe (39)*
17 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (23)*
16 – Jesse Kriel (78)*
16 – Fourie du Preez (76)
16 – Schalk Burger (86)
15 – Willie le Roux (98)*
15 – Bongi Mbonambi (76)

Updated on 18/11/2024