De Allende and Kriel, SA’s most statistically successful centre pairing in recent years

Juandre Joubert, writing for SportsClub online, lets statistics tell a story when it comes to analysing Damian De Allende and Jesse Kriel as a centre pairing.

The two first teamed up as Springboks in a 24-20 loss to the Wallabies and have been victorious in six of the nine Tests they have both started as a midfield combination.

In Brisbane on Saturday, it will be the 22nd time that they will take the field together. Twenty of those have been as a centre pairing, while Kriel played wing in a historic first-ever loss to Argentina on South African soil.

The Boks have a 66% win record when De Allende and Kriel have started as a 12 and 13 combo.

That winning percentage drops to 36% when one of them starts and the other comes on via the bench. The Springboks have only won four out of 11 Tests when that has happened, lost six and drawn one. (De Allende was an unused sub in the 23-23 draw in Perth last year.)

The overall record when they have played together for the Springboks: Played 21, won 10, lost 10 and a single draw. 

Visit SportsClub for a FULL STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN comparing Jesse Kriel, Damian De Allende, Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am.