Top 10 most-capped Test players list – UPDATED

Saturday’s opening ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ Test between the Springboks and All Blacks at Ellis Park will see veteran lock Eben Etzebeth claim sole sixth place in the list of most Tests played.

Etzebeth was on Thursday named in the Springboks’ starting XV by coach Rassie Erasmus for the clash in Johannesburg which kicks off at 17:10.

Tied for sixth-place

Heading into the match, Etzebeth has 142 Test caps to his name, and finds himself in a tie for sixth-place overall with now-retired Italian No 8, Sergio Parisse.

Etzebeth will also close the gap on All Blacks utility back Beauden Barrett who was not selected in the All Blacks’ matchday 23-man squad.

Barrett currently has 144 caps to his name.

Retired Wales and British & Irish Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones leads the way with 170 overall Test matches played.

At still only 34 years of age, there is plenty of time for Etzebeth to further climb the list before he hangs up his studs.

Latest centurion

Meanwhile, Saturday’s Test will see Springbok centre Damian De Allende become just the 10th Springbok to reach 100 Tests.

For the record, there have been 958 Springboks to date.

De Allende joins an illustrious list of South African centurions which includes Etzebeth (142*), Victor Matfield (127), Bryan Habana (124), ‘Beast’ Mtawarira (117), John Smit (111), Jean de Villiers (109), Siya Kolisi (104*), Percy Montgomery (102) and Willie le Roux (101*).

*denotes still playing

READ | Springbok team to face All Blacks attended these SCHOOLS

Rank	Caps	Player	Team
1	170	Alun Wyn Jones	Wales (158), British and Irish Lions (12)
2	154	James Slipper	Australia
3	153	Sam Whitelock	New Zealand
4	148	Richie McCaw	New Zealand
5	144	Beauden Barrett	New Zealand
T6	142	Eben Etzebeth	South Africa
T6	142	Sergio Parisse	Italy
8	141	Brian O’Driscoll	Ireland (133), British and Irish Lions (8)
9	139	George Gregan	Australia
10	137	Cian Healy	Ireland

Full names: Eben Etzebeth

Date of birth: 29 October 1991

Place of birth: Cape Town

School: Tygerberg

Springbok #833

Physical: 2.03m, 117kg

Current age: 34

Test summary: Tests: 142 Tries: 9

First Test: 9 June 2012 – Lock against England at Kings Park, Durban

Last Test: 8 August 2026 – Lock against Argentina at Vélez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos Aires

Teams

South Africa

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok

New Zealand

15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot

Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Anton Segner, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Leroy Carter

Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

How many Tests will Eben Etzebeth have played by the time he retires?