Springbok debut

Joe van Niekerk, Albert van den Berg and Jean de Villiers celebrate Tonderai Chavhanga’s sixth try during the International match between South Africa and Uruguay at the ABSA Stadium on June 11, 2005 in East London, South Africa. (Photo by Touchline/Getty Images)

The Springboks to score a hat-trick on their Test debut

Here we look at the four Springboks who scored hat-tricks of tries on their test debuts.

Springbok debut

Joe van Niekerk, Albert van den Berg and Jean de Villiers celebrate Tonderai Chavhanga’s sixth try during the International match between South Africa and Uruguay at the ABSA Stadium on June 11, 2005 in East London, South Africa. (Photo by Touchline/Getty Images)

Start as you mean to go on is an old adage that some Springboks found tough to live up to thanks to their brilliant Test debuts.

Four Springboks who made a great first impression

Four men have scored hat-tricks in their Springbok debut with two of them going on to notch more than three five-pointers.

Most tries on debut – Stefan Terblanche (4) vs Ireland 13 June 1998  

Stefan Terblanche made a spectacular start to his Test career with a four-try romp against Ireland in Bloemfontein in 1998.

Terblanche opened the scoring at the end of a move that started with a rolling maul and finished with the winger going over unmarked in the corner.

The contest started tight, but Terblanche’s three second-half secured a comfortable win for the Springboks.

Most tries on Springboks debut – Breyton Paulse (3) vs Italy 12 June 1999

The visit of Italy in 1999 provided the Springboks with an excellent opportunity to blood young talent and few were as exciting as Breyton Paulse.

Paulse was among eight debutants on the day and was one of three to get on the scoresheet.

The diminutive winger went on to score 26 tries in a storied Test career that ended eight years later.

Most tries on debut – Deon Kayser (3) vs Italy 19 June 1999

Just a week after Paulse scored a hat-trick on Test debut Deon Kayser became the third South African to achieve the feat.

Kayser scored three times against Italy in Durban but would not be the top try-scorer on the day as Terblanche crossed for a then-record five scores.

He is the only player to have scored a hat-trick on debut from the bench. His career lasted just three seasons during which time he played 13 Tests for his country.

Springbok debut
Deon Kayser celebrates scoring a try. Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP

Most tries on Springboks debut – Tonderai Chavhanga (6) vs Uruguay 11 June 2005

Tonderai Chavhanga made the biggest possible splash on his introduction to the international scene scoring six times in the 134-3 drubbing of Uruguay in East London.

The Zimbabwe-born flyer didn’t live up to his phenomenal start and wouldn’t score in the remaining three Test matches of his short career.

He gave up his international ambitions at 27-years-old when he quit South African rugby for a contract with the Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales. Chavhanga came back to South Africa in 2013 joining the Cheetahs, but he didn’t turn out for the central franchise before leaving for the Sharks in 2014.