24 years in 140 characters: Spent 87 and 91 claiming to be champions in absentia, got the All Blacks in a full Nelson to win the crown in 95. Wrestled another win in 07
World Cup record
1987: Disallowed due to apartheid
1991: Disallowed due to apartheid
1995: Winners
1999: Semi-finals (3rd)
2003: Quarter-finals
2007: Winners.
Record in 2011: P4 W1 L3
Coach: Peter de Villiers
Captain: John Smit
How are they likely to get on? The holders are far from fancied, which will suit a squad which contains 18 players who were part of the 2007 success. Set-pieces and the boot of Morne Steyn will be their staple diet, supplemented by a resolute defence – the duller the World Cup, the better their chances. The Springboks are favourites to top the group, but they have had three near-misses against Wales in as many years and four years ago no one caused them more problems than Tonga and Fiji. A team on the way down, bottom of the Tri-Nations again, but high on experience. A dilemma will be when, rather than where, to play their captain, John Smit.
Key player: The lineout is integral to South Africa's strategy, not just in winning their own ball but in disrupting the opposition to augment a kicking game. Victor Matfield is still the master of his art.
Commentator's kit: Fearsome lock Bakkies Botha is really called John. His nickname derives from a "bakkie", the equivalent of an Australian "ute", a small utility vehicle or pick-up truck, used ubiquitously on South African farms.
Squad
Jannie du Plessis, prop, age 28, caps 26
Tendai Mtawarira, prop, age 26, caps 28
Gurthrö Steenkamp, prop, age 30, caps 33
CJ van der Linde, prop, age 31, caps 72
Bismarck du Plessis, hooker, age 27, caps 38
Chiliboy Ralepelle, hooker, age 24, caps 20
John Smit (c), hooker, age 33, caps 106
Bakkies Botha, second-row, age 31, caps 74
Victor Matfield, second-row, age 34, caps 107
Johann Muller, second-row, age 31, caps 23
Danie Rossouw, second-row, age 33, caps 58
Heinrich Brüssow, flanker, age 25, caps 15
Schalk Burger, flanker, age 28, caps 63
Francois Louw, flanker, age 26, caps 7
Willem Alberts, No8, age 27, caps 4
Pierre Spies, No8, age 26, caps 42
Fourie du Preez, scrum-half, age 29, caps 57
Francois Hougaard, scrum-half, age 23, caps 10
Ruan Pienaar, scrum-half, age 27, caps 49
Butch James, fly-half, age 32, caps 41
Morne Steyn, fly-half, age 27, caps 29
Juan de Jongh, centre, age 23, caps 8
Jean de Villiers, centre, age 30, caps 69
Jaque Fourie, centre, age 28, caps 64
Gio Aplon, wing, age 28, caps 15
Bryan Habana, wing, age 28, caps 70
Odwa Ndungane, wing, age 30, caps 8
JP Pietersen, wing, age 25, caps 38
Patrick Lambie, full-back, age 20, caps 7
François Steyn, full-back, age 24, caps 43
Average age 27.8
Average caps 40.7
