Willie le Roux has been given the chance to become just the eighth player to reach the 100 Test mark for the Springboks.
Le Roux was named in Rassie Erasmus’s 33-player Rugby Championship squad for this year’s tournament.
The veteran fullback played his 95th Test in the clash against Ireland at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban earlier this month.
Le Roux, is bidding to become only the eighth player to reach the magical three-figure mark for South Africa.
With the Springboks set to play six Tests during the Rugby Championship, assuming he stays injury-free, Le Roux will have every chance of reaching the milestone and becoming just the fourth Springbok backline player to do so.
Le Roux, who was born in Stellenbosch and attended famed Paul Roos Gymnasium, will turn 35 on 18 August 2024.
He made his Test debut on 8 June 2013 against Italy at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban and has scored 15 tries to date.
Le Roux has won 64 of his Tests, lost 30 with one other ending in a draw for a win percentage of 67%.
He made his provincial debut for Boland Cavaliers and has also represented Griquas, Free State Cheetahs, Sharks and Blue Bulls in South Africa, as well as Wasps (England) and Canon Eagles and Toyota Verblitz (both Japan).
Le Roux is a two-time Rugby World Cup winner having been part of both the 2019 and 2023 Webb Ellis Cup-winning Springbok squads.
SPRINGBOK SQUAD FOR THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2024
FORWARDS
Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Kolisi (captain – Racing 92), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls)
BACKS
Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 FIXTURES
The 2024 tournament will be contested over six rounds, with each country playing six matches – three at home and three away.
All times SA
Round 1 – August 10
Australia vs South Africa, Brisbane – 06:30
New Zealand vs Argentina, Wellington – 09:35
Round 2 – August 17
New Zealand vs Argentina, Auckland – 09:35
Australia vs South Africa, Perth – 11:45
Round 3 – August 31
South Africa vs New Zealand, Johannesburg – 17:00
Argentina vs Australia, La Plata – 21:00
Round 4 – September 7
South Africa vs New Zealand, Cape Town – 17:00
Argentina vs Australia, Santa Fe – 21:00
Round 5 – September 21
Australia vs New Zealand, Sydney – 07:45
Argentina vs South Africa, Santiago del Estero – 23:00
Round 6 – September 28
New Zealand vs Australia, Wellington – 09:05
South Africa vs Argentina, Mbombela – 17:00
BIO: WILLIE LE ROUX
| Full name: Willem Jacobus le Roux | |
| Date of birth: 18 August 1989 | |
| Place of birth: Stellenbosch | |
| Schools: Strand, Paul Roos Gymnasium | |
| Springbok No: 848 | |
| Physical: 1.86m, 90kg | |
| Current age: 34 | |
Below, Springboks to have played 80 or more Tests:
| Player | Tests | Tries |
| Victor Matfield | 127 | 7 |
| Bryan Habana | 124 | 67 |
| Eben Etzebeth * | 121 | 6 |
| Tendai Mtawarira | 117 | 2 |
| John Smit | 111 | 8 |
| Jean de Villiers | 109 | 27 |
| Percy Montgomery | 102 | 25 |
| Willie le Roux * | 95 | 15 |
| Joost van der Westhuizen | 89 | 38 |
| Ruan Pienaar | 88 | 8 |
| Schalk Burger | 86 | 16 |
| Bakkies Botha | 85 | 7 |
| Siya Kolisi * | 85 | 10 |
| Steven Kitshoff * | 83 | 2 |
| Damian De Allende * | 81 | 11 |
| Os du Randt | 80 | 5 |
