The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabhokobhoko) is the country's national team governed by the

South African Rugby Union The South African Rugby Union (SARU) is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to World Rugby. It was established in 1992 as the South African Rugby Football Union, from the merger of the South African Rugby Board ...

. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their

emblem An emblem is an abstract art, abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a monarch or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and ''symbol'' ...

is the

Springbok The springbok or springbuck (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is an antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus (biology), genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first Species description, described by the Germa ...

, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented

in international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times (

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

and

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

). South Africa are the only team to have won half of the

Rugby World Cup The Men's Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised as the World championship, world champions of the sport. The tournament is administer ...

s they have participated in, and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively (2019 and 2023). The team made its World Cup debut in

, when the newly democratic South Africa hosted the tournament. Although South Africa was instrumental in creating the

competition, the Springboks could not compete in the first two World Cups in

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

and

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

due to international anti-apartheid sporting boycotts. The Springboks' victory over the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

15–12 in the 1995 final is remembered as one of the greatest moments in South Africa's sporting history, and a watershed moment in the post-apartheid nation-building process. South Africa regained the world champions title 12 years later by defeating

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

15–6 in the 2007 final. Following their 2007 World Cup victory, the Springboks ascended to first place in the IRB World Rankings, a position they held until July of the following year when New Zealand reclaimed the top spot. The team was named 2008 World Team of the Year at the

Laureus World Sports Awards The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual award ceremony honouring individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year. It was established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation foundin ...

. South Africa then won their third World Cup title, defeating England 32–12 in the 2019 final, and were named 2020 World Team of the Year at the

for the second time. They retained their world champions title in

. The Springboks also compete in the annual Rugby Championship ''(formerly the Tri-Nations)'', along with their Southern Hemisphere counterparts

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. They have won the Championship five times in 27 competitions and are the only team to have won a version of the competition and the

in the same year. Rugby union is a highly popular sport in South Africa, often attracting the country's most talented athletes. For nearly a century, South Africans have rallied behind the Springboks, the team's success has transcended the sport, becoming a symbol of national pride recognized even by those who don't follow rugby. Sixteen former Springboks and influential South Africans have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Many teams have suffered their biggest record defeats to the Springboks, including

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

and

History

First internationals: 1891–1913

The first British Isles tour took place in 1891, at Diocesan College. These were the first representative games played by South African sides. The tourists won all twenty matches they played, conceding only one point. The British Isles' success continued on their tour of 1896, winning three out of four tests against South Africa. South Africa's play greatly improved from 1891, and their first test win in the final game was a pointer to the future. In 1903 the British Isles lost a series for the first time in South Africa, drawing the opening two tests before losing the last 8–0. Rugby was given a huge boost by the early Lions tours, which created great interest in the South African press. South Africa would not lose another series—home or away—until 1956. Southafrica rugby team 1906

The first South African team to tour the British Isles and France occurred during 1906–07. The team played tests against all four Home Nations. England managed a draw, but Scotland was the only one of the Home unions to gain a victory. The trip instilled a sense of national pride among South Africans. The South Africans played an unofficial match against a 'France' team while the official French team were in England; the Springboks won 55–6. It was during this tour that the nickname ''Springboks'' was first used. The 1910 British Isles tour of South Africa was the first to include representatives from all four Home unions. The tourists won just one of their three tests. The Boks' second European tour took place in 1912–13. They beat the four Home nations to earn their first Grand Slam, and also defeated France.

Inter war

By the

first World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, New Zealand and South Africa had established themselves as rugby's two greatest powers. A Springbok tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1921 was billed as "The World Championship of Rugby". The All Blacks won the first Test 13–5,Harding (2000), p. 18. The Springboks recovered to win the second Test 9–5, and the final Test was drawn 0–0, resulting in a series draw. The 1924 British Lions team lost three of the four Tests to the Springboks, drawing the other. This was the first side to pick up the name Lions, apparently picked up from the Lions embroidered on their ties. The All Blacks first toured South Africa in 1928, and again the Test series finished level. The Springboks won the first Test 17–0 to inflict the All Blacks' heaviest defeat since 1893. The All Blacks rebounded to win the second Test 7–6. After a Springbok win in the third Test, the All Blacks won 13–5 to draw the series. Despite winning South Africa's second Grand Slam, the Springbok tourists of 1931–32 were an unloved team, due to their tactics of kicking for territory. It was successful however, winning against England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as defeating all their Welsh opponents for the first time. 1937 span 011

In 1933,

toured South Africa, with the Springboks winning the series 3–2. In 1937, South Africa toured New Zealand and Australia and their 2–1 series win prompted them to be called "the best team to ever leave New Zealand". The British Isles toured South Africa again in 1938, winning the majority of their tour matches. The Springboks secured easy victories in the first two tests. However, the Lions bounced back to record a win in the third test, for the first Lions win on South Africa soil since 1910.

Post-war era

Danie Craven Daniël Hartman Craven (11 October 1910 – 4 January 1993) was a South African rugby union player (1931–1938), national coach, national and international rugby administrator, academic, and author. Popularly known as Danie, Doc, or Mr R ...

was appointed coach in 1949, and started his coaching career winning ten matches in a row, including a 4–0 whitewash of New Zealand on their 1949 tour to South Africa. The 1951–52 team that toured Europe was considered amongst the finest Springbok sides to tour. The team won the Grand Slam as well as defeating France. Hennie Muller captained the side. The South African highlight of the tour was a 44–0 defeat of Scotland. The team finished with only one loss, to London Counties, from 31 matches. In 1953, Australia toured South Africa for the second time and although they lost the series, they defeated South Africa 18–14 in the second test. The 1955 British Lions tour to South Africa four-test series ended in a draw. In 1956, Springboks toured Australasia the All Blacks won its first series over the Springboks, in "the most bitterly fought series in history." When France toured South Africa in 1958 they were not expected to compete. France exceeded expectations and drew 3–3. The French then secured a Test series victory with a 9–5 victory.

Anti-apartheid protests: 1960s–1970s

In 1960, international criticism of apartheid grew in the wake of '' The Wind of Change'' speech and the Sharpeville massacre. The Springboks increasingly became the target of international protest. The All Blacks toured South Africa in 1960, despite a 150,000 signature petition opposing it. The Springboks avenged their 1956 series defeat by winning the four-match test series 2–1 with one draw. that same year the Springboks toured Europe, and they defeated all four Home unions for their fourth Grand Slam. The 1962 British Lions tour to South Africa lost three of the four tests, drawing the other. In 1963 the touring Wallabies beat the Springboks in consecutive tests, the first team to do so since the 1896 British team. In 1964, in Wales' first overseas tour they played one test match against South Africa, losing 3–24, their biggest defeat in 40 years. South Africa had a poor year in 1965, losing matches in a tour of Ireland and Scotland, and in a tour of Australia and New Zealand. The planned 1967 tour by the All Blacks was cancelled by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union after the South African government refused to allow Maori players. In 1968 the Lions toured and lost three Tests and drew one. Next year in the 1969–70 Springbok tour to the UK and Ireland the Springboks lost test matches against England and Scotland, and drew against Ireland and Wales. Throughout the tour however, large anti-apartheid demonstrations meant that several matches had to be played behind barbed wire fences. In 1970, the All Blacks toured South Africa once again—after the South African government agreed to treat Maoris in the team and Maori spectators as '

honorary whites Honorary whites was a political term that was used by the apartheid regime of South Africa to grant some of the rights and privileges of whites to those who would otherwise have been treated as non-whites under the Population Registration Ac ...

'. The Springboks won the test series 3–1. In the Springbok tour of Australia in 1971, the Springboks won all three tests. As in Britain three years before, however, massive anti-apartheid demonstrations greeted the team, and they had to be transported by the

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

after the trade unions refused to service planes or trains transporting them. A planned tour of New Zealand for 1973 was blocked by New Zealand Prime Minister

Norman Kirk Norman Eric Kirk (6 January 1923 – 31 August 1974) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 29th prime minister of New Zealand and as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand), minister of Foreign Affairs from 1972 until h ...

on the grounds of public safety. The Lions team that toured South Africa in 1974 triumphed 3–0 (with one drawn) in the test series. A key feature was the Lions' infamous ' 99 call'. Lions management had decided that the Springboks dominated their opponents with physical aggression, so decided "to get their retaliation in first". At the call of '99' each Lions player would attack their nearest rival player. The "battle of

Boet Erasmus Stadium EPRU Stadium, also known by its original name of Boet Erasmus Stadium, was a stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The letters "EPRU" in the name represent the Eastern Province Rugby Union, the stadium's historic primary tenants, whose tea ...

" was one of the most violent matches in rugby history.

Sporting isolation: 1970s–1980s

The 1976 All Blacks tour of South Africa went ahead, and the Springboks won by three Tests to one, but coming shortly after the Soweto riots the tour attracted international condemnation. Twenty-eight countries boycotted the

1976 Summer Olympics The 1976 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Montreal 1976 (), were an international multi-sport event held from July 17 to August 1, 1976, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Montreal ...

in protest, and in 1977 the Gleneagles Agreement discouraged any Commonwealth sporting contact with South Africa. In response to the growing pressure, the segregated South African rugby unions merged in 1977. A planned 1979 Springbok tour of France was blocked by the French government. The Lions toured South Africa in 1980, losing the first three tests before winning the last one. The 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand went ahead in defiance of the Gleneagles Agreement. South Africa lost the series 1–2. The tour and the massive civil disruption in New Zealand had ramifications far beyond rugby. In 1981, Errol Tobias became the first non-white South African to represent his country when he took the field against Ireland. South Africa sought to counteract its sporting isolation by inviting the South American Jaguars to tour. The team contained mainly Argentinian players. Eight matches were played between the two teams in the early 1980s—all awarded Test status. In 1984, England toured losing both test matches; of the players selected, only

Ralph Knibbs Ralph Andrew Knibbs is an English former rugby union player who played for Bristol. Rugby career He made his debut as a seventeen-year-old against Pontypridd RFC in 1982, scoring with his first touch of the ball.New Zealand High Court. A rebel tour took place the next year by a team known as the Cavaliers, which consisted of all but two of the original squad. The Springboks won the series 3–1. In 1989, a World XV sanctioned by the International Rugby Board went on a mini-tour of South Africa; all traditional rugby nations bar New Zealand supplied players to the team. South Africa was not permitted by the International Rugby Board to compete in the inaugural

1987 Rugby World Cup The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. It was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia – New Zealand hosted 21 matches (17 pool stage matches, two semi-finals, the third-place play-off and the final) while Australia hosted 11 mat ...

, nor in the following

1991 Rugby World Cup The 1991 Rugby World Cup () was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France: at the time, the five European countries who participated in the Six Nations Championship, Five Na ...

Rainbow nation "Rainbow nation" is a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to describe post-apartheid South Africa after South Africa's first democratic election in 1994. The phrase was elaborated upon by President Nelson Mandela in his first month of off ...
and 1995 World Cup

Apartheid was abolished during 1990–91, and the Springboks were readmitted to international rugby in 1992. They struggled to return to their pre-isolation standards in their first games after readmission. During the 1992 All Blacks tour, the first to South Africa since 1976, the Springboks were defeated 24–27 by New Zealand, and suffered a 3–26 loss to Australia the following month. South Africa hosted the

1995 Rugby World Cup The 1995 Rugby World Cup (), was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country. The World Cup was the first major sporting event to take place in ...

, with a surge of support for the Springboks among the white and black communities behind the slogan "one team, one country." This was the first major international sports event to be held in the

Rainbow Nation "Rainbow nation" is a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to describe post-apartheid South Africa after South Africa's first democratic election in 1994. The phrase was elaborated upon by President Nelson Mandela in his first month of off ...

. By the time they hosted the 1995 World Cup, the Springboks, coached by

Kitch Christie George Moir Christie, better known as Kitch Christie (31 January 1940 – 22 April 1998), was a South African rugby union coach best known for coaching the country's national team, the Springboks, to victory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. He rem ...

, were seeded ninth. They won their pool by defeating Australia,

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

, and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. Wins in the quarter-final against

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabit ...

(42–14) and in the semi-final against

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

(19–15) sent the Springboks to the final. South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks 15–12 in extra-time. President

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...

, wearing a Springbok shirt, presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar, a white Afrikaner. The gesture was widely seen as a major step towards the reconciliation of white and black South Africans. A series of crises followed in 1995 through 1997. Christie resigned in 1996 due to leukaemia. South Africa struggled in the new Tri-Nations competition, the All Blacks won a test series in South Africa for the first time in 1996, and the Lions won their 1997 South African tour test series two games to one. Coach Andre Markgraaff was fired in 1997 due to a racist comment he made. The team suffered successive defeats in the Lions 1997 tour and the

1997 Tri Nations Series The 1997 Tri Nations Series was the second Tri Nations Series, an international rugby union competition contested by the men's national teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It was played from 19 July to 23 August, with each team p ...

. In 1997, coach Nick Mallett coached South Africa's unbeaten 1997 tour of Europe, and in 1998 the Boks tied the then-existing record for longest test winning streak, winning 17 consecutive tests, including the 1998 Tri-Nations. At the

1999 Rugby World Cup The 1999 Rugby World Cup () was the fourth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial international rugby union championship. It was the first Rugby World Cup to be held in the sport's History of rugby union#The professional era, professional era. Four a ...

the Springboks reached the semi-finals of the competition, where they lost to eventual champions . Bob Skinstad

During the 2002 and 2003 seasons, the Springboks lost by record margins to England (3–53), France, Scotland and New Zealand. At the

2003 Rugby World Cup The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England national rugby union team, England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispu ...

, they were eliminated in the quarter-final round – their worst showing to date. Following wins during the June 2004 tours, the Boks won the 2004 Tri Nations Series. The Springboks won the 2004 IRB International Team of the Year award. The Springboks finished second in the 2005 Tri-Nations. Percy Montgomery against Samoa

The 2006 Springboks lost to France, ending their long undefeated home record. A poor 2006 Tri Nations Series included two losses to the Wallabies. Coach

Jake White Jacob Charles White (born 13 December 1963 as Jacob Westerduin) is a professional rugby union coach and former coach of the South African national team – the ''Springboks'' – whom he coached to victory in 2007 Rugby World Cup and the 2004 ...

told the press in July 2006 that he had been unable to pick some white players for his squad "because of transformation"—a reference to the ANC government's policies to redress racial imbalances in sport.

2007 Rugby World Cup victory

At the

2007 Rugby World Cup The 2007 Rugby World Cup () was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by F ...

in France, the Springboks won their pool. The Springboks then defeated Fiji 37–20 in the quarter-finals, and Argentina 37–13 in the semi-finals. In the final they prevailed 15–6 over England to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time. In January 2008, Peter de Villiers was appointed as the first non-white coach of the Springboks. De Villiers's first squad included ten of colour. The team finishes last in the Tri Nations, but notched several wins during their 2008 end of year tour. The 2009 season was more successful. The Boks earned a 2–1 series win over the Lions, and then won the 2009 Tri Nations Series. However, during the November tests they lost their top spot in the IRB rankings with losses to France and Ireland. Nonetheless, the Boks were named IRB International Team of the Year. The Boks' June 2010 test campaign included a win over France (their first victory over the French since 2005). However, the Boks performed poorly in the 2010 Tri Nations campaign, sliding to third in the world rankings. In the 2011 Tri Nations the Boks rested a number of players in preparation for the upcoming World Cup. At the

2011 Rugby World Cup The 2011 Rugby World Cup, was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The World Rugby, International Rugby Board (IRB) selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japa ...

, the Springboks topped their group before falling to

9–11 in the quarter-finals.

2018–present: Erasmus/Kolisi era and Rugby World Cup success

Following the sacking of Allister Coetzee in February 2018, Rassie Erasmus was named head coach of the national team, alongside his duties as Director of Rugby at SA Rugby, on 1 March 2018 and immediately decided to appoint Siya Kolisi as the new Springbok captain, a landmark decision. In his first match in charge, Erasmus awarded thirteen new players their first test cap, in a one-off match in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

in a 22–20 loss to

. A week later, he secured his first win, a 42–39 victory over England, during their three-test series. The series title was clinched in the second test, with the Springboks winning 23–12, to secure a series victory. However, South Africa were unable to gain the clean-sweep, after losing the third test, 25–10. During the 2018 Rugby Championship, Erasmus led the Springboks to second, their best placing since

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

. The 2018 Championship saw South Africa win three games, including a thrilling 36–34 victory over New Zealand in

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

, South Africa's first win in New Zealand since 2009. Erasmus later revealed that had the Springboks lost that match, he would have resigned:

"We ad recentlylost to Australia and Argentina, and if we didn't win in Wellington I would have resigned... I have never lost three games in a row as a coach and if I did that I don't deserve to be a Springbok coach. We played New Zealand in Wellington and that was important, as if we lost it I wouldn't be here."

South Africa came within moments of reclaiming the Freedom Cup in the final round, but an All Black try in the dying moments of the game helped New Zealand snatch victory in 32–30 win in

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

and retain the cup.

2019 Rugby World Cup

The Springboks won the

2019 Rugby World Cup The 2019 Rugby World Cup () was the ninth edition of the Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's rugby union teams. It was hosted in Japan from 20 September to 2 November in 12 venues all across the country. The opening matc ...

in Japan after defeating England 32–12 in the

final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

. It was the first time that a Black South African rugby captain got to lift the

Webb Ellis Cup The Webb Ellis Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the men's Rugby World Cup, the premier competition in men's international rugby union. The Cup is named after William Webb Ellis, who is often credited as being the inventor of rugby foot ...

, as well as the first time that a team won a final with a defeat in pool stages, the captain being Siya Kolisi who presented South African president

Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current President of South Africa since 2018. A former Anti-Apartheid Movement, anti-apartheid activist and trade union leade ...

the number 6 jersey to commemorate

, who wore the same numbered jersey during the

. The final match between South Africa and England served as a rematch between the two in reference to the 2007 Rugby World Cup final. This marks the third time South Africa has won the World Cup which ties the team with the

for most Rugby World Cup wins.

COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Springboks, were affected by the cancellation and postponement of several matches, as well as concerns over player welfare and safety. However, the Springboks were able to continue playing international rugby through strict COVID-19 protocols. In August 2020, South Africa withdrew from the Rugby Championship due to concerns over player welfare and COVID-19 restrictions. The tournament proceeded without the Springboks, who were the defending champions. In July 2021, South Africa made their return to international rugby after a year-long absence due to the pandemic.

2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...

The Springboks faced a tough pool that included the likes of Ireland and Scotland. They suffered a narrow defeat to Ireland. However, they bounced back with convincing victories in the remaining pool matches. The Bomb Squad: The Springboks' dominance in the scrums became a defining feature of their knock-out stage success. The introduction of the "Bomb Squad" – a group of fresh front-row substitutes – in the later stages of matches proved to be a game-changer. Throughout the tournament, the Springboks displayed a resolute defensive performance. They conceded the fewest penalties of any team and their tackling technique was exceptional. This defensive solidity provided a crucial foundation for their success. The Springboks secured three dramatic 1-point victories during the 2023 Rugby World Cup: Quarter Final vs France: In a nail-biting encounter against the host nation, the Springboks fought tenaciously throughout the match. The score remained close, but their determination paid off as they emerged victorious with a final score of 29–28. Semi Final vs England: Another tense affair, this game tested the Springboks' grit. They battled fiercely against England, with the score seesawing throughout. Displaying nerves of steel, the Springboks clinched the win with a last-minute penalty, ending the game at 16–15. Final vs New Zealand: A thrilling 80 minutes that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The All Blacks were reduced to 14 men in the first half after captain Sam Cane was sent off for a dangerous tackle. Despite their numerical advantage, the Springboks faced strong defense from New Zealand. However, they managed to secure a narrow victory, with the final score at 12–11. The 2023 Springboks were a team that embodied the spirit of unity. Their diverse squad, with players from various backgrounds and cultures, came together under the banner of "Together in One Nation, One Team." The Springboks were crowned Rugby World Cup champions for the fourth time, making them the first nation to win 4 titles and their second in a row. Having only played 8 tournaments, this has given South Africa a 50% win rate at World Cups.

Crest, colours and jersey

Team name and emblem

Paul Roos's team first introduced the Springbok emblem during their 1906–07 tour of Britain to prevent the British press from inventing their own name for the team. At that time, the emblem promoted unity among white English and Afrikaans-speaking players following the two

Anglo-Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...

s of the late 19th century. Although the Springbok was briefly adopted by the first colored national rugby team in 1939 and by their first black counterparts in 1950, it soon became exclusively associated with segregated sporting codes. From 1906 onwards, South African rugby officials and the national team were historically linked with racism. The Springbok emblem symbolized the exclusion of non-white players under apartheid, representing apartheid itself. Initially, the first Springboks refused to play against a

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

side that included Jimmy Peters, the first black player to represent England. Notable figures like

, a legendary official, national coach, and Springbok scrumhalf, reluctantly complied with government demands to have

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

players excluded from the visiting All Black teams. Craven also asserted that the Springbok was intrinsically tied to the white identity of the national rugby team. Since the end of

apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...

, the ruling

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

(ANC) has sought to replace the Springbok emblem with a neutral symbol representing a break from the past, the

King Protea ''Protea cynaroides'', also called the king protea (from , ), is a flowering plant. It is a distinctive member of ''Protea'', having the largest flower head in the genus. The species is also known as giant protea, honeypot, or king sugar bush. ...

, South Africa's national flower, was chosen for this purpose, leading to the national

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

team being named the Proteas for example. A similar change was envisioned for the national rugby team. Consequently, from 1992, the national rugby team jersey featured a King Protea alongside the Springbok. As portrayed in the film ''Invictus'', pressure to replace the Springbok emblem intensified in 1994, just before the

in South Africa. However,

, a devoted fan of the Springbok rugby team, intervened, leading the ANC's executive to reappropriate the emblem instead of abolishing it. After the national team won the

, black rugby pioneer Dan Qeqe stated, "The Springboks play for all of us." In March 2004, the South African Sports Commission

ratified Ratification is a principal's legal confirmation of an act of its agent. In international law, ratification is the process by which a state declares its consent to be bound to a treaty. In the case of bilateral treaties, ratification is usuall ...

a decision for the Protea to be the official rugby emblem on blazers and caps, allowing the Springbok to remain on the team jersey and the traditional Springbok colours. In November 2007, the ANC's special conference in

Polokwane Polokwane (, meaning "Sanctuary" in Northern SothoPolokwane - The Heart of the Limpopo Provin ...

reiterated the need for a single symbol for all sporting codes. Critics like Qondisa Ngwenya predicted a loss of revenue from abandoning the Springbok emblem, while others like Cheeky Watson advocated for an alternative, unifying symbol. Furthermore, South African Rugby (SARU) has not made any official moves to change the emblem. Instead, efforts have been made to ensure that the emblem represents unity and inclusivity.

Jersey

South Africa plays in green jerseys with a gold collar and trim, white

shorts Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they ar ...

and green

socks A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...

. The jersey is

embroidered Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...

with the SA Rugby logo on the wearer's left chest and the

springbok The springbok or springbuck (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is an antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus (biology), genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first Species description, described by the Germa ...

logo on the right chest. The first shirt worn by South Africa was navy blue during their Tests against the

on the Lions tour of 1891. The green jersey was first adopted when the British Isles toured South Africa in 1903. After playing the first two Tests in white shirts, South Africa wore a green jersey (supplied by the Diocesan College rugby team) for the first time in their final Test at

Newlands Newlands may refer to: Places Australia * Newlands, Queensland, a locality in the Whitsunday Region * Newlands, Western Australia, a town in the Shire of Donnybrook–Balingup Ireland * Newlands Cross, Dublin, named after the former Newlands ...

. On their first tour to

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

and

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

in 1906–07 South Africa wore a green jersey with a white collar, blue shorts, and blue socks, taken from the Diocesan College. When

first toured South Africa in

1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...

, the visitors wore sky blue jerseys to avoid confusion, as both teams wore dark green jerseys at the time. In

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

, when Australia toured again, the Springboks wore white jerseys for the test matches. In

1961 Events January * January 1 – Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1961, Monetary reform in the Soviet Union. * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and cons ...

, Australia changed their jersey to gold to avoid further colour clashes. Traditionally, South Africa's away uniform consisted of a white shirt, usually with a gold collar, black shorts, and socks, as seen in the 1981 Test against Ireland. During the match against

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

in 2002, South Africa became the first team to sport player names on the back of the jerseys. In

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, against

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, a replica of the first jersey was worn to mark the

centenary A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century. Notable events Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include: * Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...

of the Springbok rugby team. In December 2008, the SARU decided to place the protea on the left side of the Boks' jersey, in line with other South African national teams, and move the springbok to the right side of the jersey. The was worn for the first time during the British & Irish Lions' 2009 tour of South Africa. For the

2015 Rugby World Cup The IRB 2015 Rugby World Cup was the eighth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial rugby union world championship. The tournament was hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October. Of the 20 countries competing in the World Cup in 2011, there was ...

, the springbok was moved from the front of the jersey to the right sleeve while the Protea remained on the front. This change was due to World Cup regulations stating that only the IRB logo and the main team logo could appear on the front of the shirt. Several South African rugby fans voiced their disappointment and anger at the reveal of the 2015 shirt due to the springbok not being on the front of the shirt. In 2017, the Springboks wore a red change jersey in Argentina as part of an Asics promotion where the Springboks and Blitzboks wore jerseys in all the colours of the South African flag during the course of the season—the main side wore green, white, and red shirts, while the sevens team sported gold, blue and black uniforms.

Sponsors on kit

American company Nike is the kit provider for all the South Africa rugby teams from July 2023, through a six-year contract signed with the SARU. South Africa's shirt sponsor is local mobile phone provider

MTN Group MTN Group Limited (formerly M-Cell) is a South Africa, South African multinational corporation and mobile telecommunications provider. Its head office is in Johannesburg. MTN is among the List of mobile network operators, largest mobile netwo ...

. Additional uniform sponsors are FNB on the back above the numbers, and Betway, FlySafair,

Dell Dell Inc. is an American technology company that develops, sells, repairs, and supports personal computers (PCs), Server (computing), servers, data storage devices, network switches, software, computer peripherals including printers and webcam ...

, and Switch Energy Drink rotating on the rear hems of the shorts. SAF-Rugby-jersey-2002

* During the 1986 New Zealand Cavaliers tour, the Springboks had the

Toyota is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...

logo on the opposite side of the Springbok, making it the first time a sponsor logo appeared in a Springbok jersey. * In a 2001 autumn international against France in Saint-Denis, the logo on their kit was replaced by Charles (which is an allusion to Charles Glass, the founder of Castle Brewery) because of the

Evin law Evin is a neighbourhood in the north of Tehran. The district consists of an old section filled with orchards and gardens of old houses and a new section with high rises and skyscrapers. It is adjacent to Shahid Beheshti University Shahid B ...

, which prohibits alcohol companies from advertising during sports events in France.

Home grounds

The Springboks do not use a single stadium as their home, but they play out of a number of venues throughout South Africa. The first South African international took place in 1891 at Port Elizabeth's Crusader Grounds. The playing field, which is shared with the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club, is also known as St George's Park Cricket Ground.

Main stadiums

The 60,000 seat

Ellis Park Stadium Ellis Park Stadium (known as Emirates Airline Park for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union and association football stadium in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by th ...

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

was the main venue for the 1995 World Cup, where the Springboks defeated the All Blacks in the final. Ellis Park was built in 1928, and in 1955 hosted a record 100,000 people in a Test between South Africa and the British & Irish Lions. The Springboks are said to have a notable advantage over touring sides when playing at high altitude on the

Highveld The Highveld (Afrikaans: ''Hoëveld,'' , ) is the portion of the South African inland plateau which has an altitude above roughly , but below , thus excluding the Lesotho mountain regions to the south-east of the Highveld. It is home to some of t ...

. Games at Ellis Park, Loftus Versfeld, or Vodacom Park are said to present physical problems, and to influence a match in a number of other ways, such as the ball travelling further when kicked. Experts disagree on whether touring team's traditionally poor performances at altitude are more due to a state of mind rather than an actual physical challenge.

Other stadiums

The Springboks played their first test match at

FNB Stadium First National Bank Stadium or simply FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City and The Calabash, is an association football (soccer) and Rugby union stadium located in Nasrec, bordering the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. The site is m ...

also known as Soccer City Stadium on 21 August 2010, a Tri Nations match against

Records

Team records

*'' List of South Africa national rugby union team records''

Individual records

Siya Kolisi has become the most decorated South African Captain, having won Two-World Cups back to back in 2019 Japan and 2023 France (equaling the New Zealand team led by

Richie McCaw Richard Hugh McCaw (born 31 December 1980) is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He captain (sports), captained the New Zealand national rugby union team, New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, in 110 out of his 148 t ...

who also won back to back world cups in 2011 and 2015) as captain. Further to that, as Captain he now stands alone as the only Springboks Captain to have led South Africa to four consecutive wins against the mighty All Blacks. Prior to that he shared the record with former Captain's John Smit (2007) and Felix du Plessis (1949). He also has now won as captain, the most trophy's in one year (2024) than any other Springboks Captain before him. The Qatar Airways Cup , The Mandela Challenge Plate, The Freedom Cup, The Rugby Championship and The Prince William Cup. It is also under his Captaincy that South Africa Hold not only the World Cup consecutively, but also led his charges to win the British & Irish Lions Series in 2021 held in South Africa. A feat that

couldn't achieve with

Kieran Read Kieran James Read (born 26 October 1985) is a New Zealand former rugby union player. He played as a number 8 and is a former captain of the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks. Read played for New Zealand from 2008 to 2019. He is one of ...

leading the All Blacks in the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand which ended up being tied. South Africa's most capped player is

Eben Etzebeth Eben Etzebeth (born 29 October 1991) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the South Africa national rugby team. He made his international debut for the Sprin ...

with 131 caps. The Lock broke the record previously held by

Victor Matfield Victor Matfield (born 11 May 1977) is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for and South African rugby union captains, captained the South Africa national rugby union team, South Africa national team (Springboks) as ...

on the 28th of September 2024 in a test match against Argentina. The most-capped back is Bryan Habana.

Percy Montgomery Percival Colin Montgomery (born 15 March 1974) is a Namibian-born South African former professional rugby union player. When he ended his international career in August 2008, he held the all-time records for both cap (sport), caps and points fo ...

holds the South African record for Test points with 893, which at the time of his international retirement placed him sixth on the all-time list of Test point scorers (he now stands twelfth). John Smit was the world's most-capped captain, having captained South Africa in 83 of his 111 Tests, but has since been overtaken. Smit also played a record 46 consecutive matches for South Africa. The record try scorer is Bryan Habana from 124 games for the Springboks, with 67 tries.^{(as of 14 February 2018)} The most prolific all time try-scorer of the post-Apartheid era is

Makazole Mapimpi Makazole Mapimpi (born 26 July 1990) is a South African professional rugby union player for the in the United Rugby Championship and South Africa national team. He usually plays as a winger and centre. He was part of the winning Springboks o ...

, whose try scoring ratio is far superior to that of Bryan Habana (67 tries from 124 tests) who clocks at 54% ratio and the likes of Joost van der Westhuizen (second highest nos of tries for the Boks with 38 tries from 89 tests) and Jacques Fourie (joint third with Mapimpi having 32 tries from 72 tests) by miles, having been a late starter for the Boks, and so far has played less than 50 games for the Springboks. His current 69% ratio is higher than that of Habana and any other post-Apartheid national player. Many may quote the Apartheid-era legend Danie Gerber who notched a 79% try scoring ratio (24 tests with 19 tries scored), as being the greatest, but the modern game of Habana and Mapimpi, far surpasses that of the apartheid -era period.Where Gerber's tries came from 12 years of being a Springbok. Mapimpi only has been a Springbok since 2018, a paltry 6 years. As of 8 October 2019, Cobus Reinach scored the earliest hat-trick in World Cup history.

Longest winning streak

The South African Springboks' longest winning streak is 17 consecutive Test victories, which they achieved between August 1997 and December 1998. This record was set under coach Nick Mallett and captain Gary Teichmann, and during this time the Springboks scored more than 50 points five times and beat Wales 96–13. They also defeated France, Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland on multiple occasions.

Rankings

World Rugby Ranking Leaders

South Africa is one of the most successful rugby union teams in history. When the ranking system was first introduced in October 2003, South Africa were ranked sixth. Their ranking fluctuated until their victory in the

briefly sent them to the summit of the rankings. Overall, the South African Springboks and the New Zealand All Blacks have held the number 1 ranking in the world rankings since its introduction in October 2003 for just over 94% of the time (with the New Zealand All Blacks holding the top spot for just over 70% of the time and the South African Springboks holding the top spot for just over 24% of that time). The remaining time at the top of the world rankings are shared between the leading Northern Hemisphere teams, England (the only Northern Hemisphere team to win a World Cup title in 2003), Wales, France and Ireland. The South African Springboks are the only team to have won the Rugby World Cup four times, with each being in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023 respectively. The New Zealand All Blacks have won the title in 1987, 2011 and 2015. The Springboks currently have an overall winning % against all nations (including the British and Irish Lions) except for the New Zealand All Blacks.

Games played

Tournaments

Rugby Championship

The Springboks only yearly tournament is The Rugby Championship (formerly Tri-Nations), involving Australia and New Zealand since 1996, with Argentina joining the competition in 2012. The Springboks have won the tournament four times (

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

). South Africa also participates in the Mandela Challenge Plate with Australia, and the Freedom Cup with New Zealand as part of the Rugby Championship.

Rugby World Cup

The Springboks did not participate in the

and 1991 World Cups because of the sporting boycott that apartheid brought against them. South Africa's introduction to the event was as hosts. They defeated the defending Champions

27–18 in the opening match, and went on to defeat the

15–12 after extra time in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, with a drop goal from 40 metres by

Joel Stransky Joel Theodore Stransky (born 16 July 1967) is a South African former rugby union player. A fly-half, he is known for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final ...

. In

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, South Africa experienced their first World Cup loss when they were defeated 21–27 by

in their semi-final, they went on to defeat the

22–18 in the Third-Fourth play-off match. The worst ever South African performance at a World Cup was in 2003 when they lost a pool game to

, and then were knocked out of the tournament by the

in their quarter-final. In

, the Springboks defeated

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

in the quarter-finals and

in the semi-finals. They then defeated

in the

Grand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Synonymous with a championship game in North Ameri ...

15–6 to win the tournament for a second time. In 2011, the Springboks were defeated by

9–11 in the quarter-finals after winning all four of their pool games. In the 2015 World Cup, South Africa suffered a 32–34 loss to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

in their first pool match on 19 September, and it has been regarded as one of the biggest upsets in Rugby Union history. They made it to the semi-finals but were eventually defeated by the

20–18. In the 2019 RWC, the Springboks lost their first pool match against the All Blacks 23–13, and won the rest of their pool matches to advance to the quarter-finals, where they beat

26–3, beat

19–16 in the semi-finals and beat

32–12 in the

to be crowned World Champions. South Africa became the 2nd country ever to win the Rugby World Cup 3 times. The Springboks won the

2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...

, defeating New Zealand 12–11 in the final at the Stade de France in Paris on October 28, 2023. It was South Africa's fourth Rugby World Cup title, and their second consecutive, having also won in 2019.

Series played

Traditionally, most of the Test Matches against other countries happened during Tours/Series. The first team to visit South Africa were the British Lions in 1891 and the first Springbok overseas tour was arranged in 1906–07 to Europe.

Overall

Head to head results

Below is the Test Matches played by South Africa up until 23 November 2024. Only fixtures recognised as Test Matches by the South African Rugby Union are listed. ± The Cavaliers was the name given to an unofficial (rebel)

team that toured South Africa in 1986. The

New Zealand Rugby Union New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in New Zealand. It was founded in 1892 as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), 12 years after the first provincial unions in New Zealand. In 1949 it b ...

did not sanction the team and do not recognise the side as a New Zealand representative team.

Rivalries

Springboks vs All Blacks

The Springboks' main rivals are the

New Zealand national rugby union team The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

, known as the

. The two nations have a long history of competing against each other, with matches dating back over a century, and as such, the rivalry has become a defining feature of both nations' rugby cultures. The only side the Springboks have a losing record to is the All Blacks with all other teams being over a 50 percent winning record. The two teams are often considered to be the two most successful teams in international rugby union, and as such, a game between South Africa and New Zealand is usually a highly anticipated event in the rugby world.

Kapa o Pango haka

The Kapa o Pango haka debuted in 2005, with South Africa being the first team to face it before a match in Dunedin, New Zealand. This choice was deliberate, reflecting the deep rivalry between the All Blacks and the Springboks. The next year on 2 September 2006 in a game in

Rustenburg Rustenburg (; , Afrikaans and Dutch language, Dutch: ''City of Rest'') is a town at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West (South African province), North West province, South Africa (549 ...

, the Springboks became the first team of only four to beat the All Blacks in a match that had the "Kapa o Pango" performed prematch with a final score of 21–20. The biggest losing margin to the All Blacks for a test with the "Kapa o Pango" haka is 28 points which occurred in a test against South Africa at

Twickenham Stadium Twickenham Stadium (; usually known as Twickenham, and for sponsorship purposes known as the Allianz Stadium Twickenham) is a rugby union stadium in Twickenham, London, England. It is owned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the English rugby u ...

on 25 August 2023, the final score being 35–7 (also the All Blacks' biggest defeat in history). In tests starting with "Kapa o Pango", the Springboks have emerged victorious against the All Blacks on seven occasions, more than any other rugby team.

Springboks vs England

The first time South Africa and England faced each other was in 1906. The historical rivalry between these teams has increased on the back of two Rugby World Cup finals in which the teams faced one another, with the Springboks winning on both occasions in 2007 and 2019. In the 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign, the Springboks played against England in the semi-final. The Springboks won by a score of 16–15, adding further fuel to the rivalry between the two rugby nations.

Players

Selection policy

Strategic Transformation Development Plan 2030 (STDP 2030): The Transformation Charter adopted at a sports Indaba in 2011 was a "one-size fits all" mechanism to guide sport towards the achievement of the longer term transformation goal of an accessible, equitable, sustainable, competitive and demographically representative sport system. In the case of demographic representation for example, STDP 2030 target of 60% generic Black (black African, Coloured and Indian representation) was set and is the current milestone towards the ultimate goal of a sport demographic profile in line with the national population demographic of 80% black African, 9% Coloured, 9% White and 2% Indian. However the targets are not legally enforceable quotas.

Notable players

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

Thirteen former South African international players have been inducted into either the

International Rugby Hall of Fame The International Rugby Hall of Fame (IRHOF) was a hall of fame for rugby union. It was created in 1997 in New Zealand and is run as a charitable trust with an address at Chiswick in London. Most of the trustees are also inductees. IRHOF accepted ...

or the World Rugby Hall of Fame. # Barry "Fairy" Heatlie played 6 Tests between 1896 and 1903. #

Bennie Osler Benjamin Louwrens Osler (23 November 1901 – 28 April 1962) was a rugby union footballer who played internationally for South Africa. Osler played mainly at fly-half for both South Africa, and his provincial team of Western Province. Osler wa ...

played 17 consecutive Tests between 1924 and 1933. #

played 16 Tests between 1931 and 1938. # Hennie Muller played 13 Tests between 1949 and 1953. # Frik du Preez played 38 Tests between 1961 and 1971. # Morné du Plessis played 22 Tests between 1971 and 1980. #

Naas Botha Hendrik Egnatius 'Naas' Botha (born 27 February 1958) is a South African former rugby union player who played as a Fly-half for Northern Transvaal, Rugby Rovigo and South Africa (the Springboks). He was voted SA Rugby Player of the Year in ...

played 28 Tests between 1980 and 1992. # Danie Gerber played 24 Tests between 1980 and 1992. # Francois Pienaar played 29 Tests between 1993 and 1996. # Joost van der Westhuizen played 89 Tests between 1993 and 2003. # Os du Randt played 80 Tests between 1994 and 2007. # John Smit played 111 Tests between 2000 and 2011. Most appearances as Springbok captain 83. # Bryan Habana played 124 Tests between 2004 and 2016. He is in second place among all time test try scorers, with 67 tries. In addition to players, the World Rugby Hall of Fame has also inducted the following people: #

, coach of the

-winning team. #

, coach of the

-winning team. #

for his impact on the sport.

Award winners

The following South Africa players have been recognised at the

World Rugby Awards The World Rugby Awards are given out annually by World Rugby (until November 2014, known as the International Rugby Board), the worldwide governing body for rugby union, for major achievements in the sport. The idea of rewarding excellence in ru ...

since 2001:

Current squad

On 22 October 2024, South Africa named a 34-player squad for their 2024 November tour to the UK. On 24 October 2024, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw joined the squad, following the injury withdrawal of Jan-Hendrik Wessels. On 27 October 2024, Cameron Hanekom joined the squad, following the injury withdrawal of Damian Willemse. On 29 October 2024, Jordan Hendrikse joined the squad, following the injury withdrawal of Frans Malherbe. On 7 November 2024, Jean Kleyn joined the squad, following the injury withdrawal of Ruan Nortjé. : ''Caps updated'': ''23 November 2024''

Recent call-ups

* The following players were also named to a squad in the last 12 months. , - ^INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
^PRE Preliminary squad.
^RET Player retired from the national team
^WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Coaches

Current coaching staff

The current coaching staff of the South African national team was revealed on 6 February 2024:

Coach results

The role and definition of the South Africa coach has varied significantly over the team's history. Hence a comprehensive list of coaches, or head selectors, is impossible. The following table is a list of coaches since the 1949 All Blacks tour to South Africa. Both World Cup-winning coaches, Christie and White, were inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011 alongside all other World Cup-winning head coaches through the 2007 edition.

In popular culture

* The combined exploits of Mandela and the Springboks in helping unify the country through rugby union was later chronicled in John Carlin's book '' Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation'', which in turn inspired

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...

's 2009

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-nominated film '' Invictus'' starring

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...

as Pienaar and

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, producer, and narrator. In a career spanning six decades, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as a nomination for a Tony ...

as Mandela. * The conquest of the 2019 title was filmed through a 5-episode SuperSport documentary, named ''Chasing the Sun''. * ''Chasing the Sun 2'' – A Story for South Africa, is a five-part documentary series that follows the South African Springboks on their fourth Rugby World Cup victory, the first achievement by any country. The series includes previously unreleased footage and interviews, and premiered on 24 March 2024 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101).

Notes

References

Sources

*
United Nations, India and the boycott of Apartheid sport
''anc.org.za''. Retrieved 6 August 2006 *
1000000 years of SA rugby contact with France
''planet-rugby.com''. Retrieved 6 August 2006 *
The colours – 1906 – 2006
' ''planet-rugby.com''. Retrieved 14 November 2006 * * *
Strategic Transformation Development Plan 2030 Cycle 1
''https://www.springboks.rugby/general/governance-and-documents/''

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

*
Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame

Charles Villet, "Cape Crusaders: why some South Africans (still) support the Kiwis, not the Springboks" in "The Converstion"
{{DEFAULTSORT:South Africa National Rugby Union Team African national rugby union teams Laureus World Sports Awards winners

History

First internationals: 1891–1913

Inter war

Post-war era

Anti-apartheid protests: 1960s–1970s

Sporting isolation: 1970s–1980s

Rainbow nation "Rainbow nation" is a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to describe post-apartheid South Africa after South Africa's first democratic election in 1994. The phrase was elaborated upon by President Nelson Mandela in his first month of off ... and 1995 World Cup

2007 Rugby World Cup victory

2018–present: Erasmus/Kolisi era and Rugby World Cup success

2019 Rugby World Cup

COVID-19 pandemic

2023 Rugby World Cup The 2023 Rugby World Cup () was the tenth men's Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national rugby union teams. It took place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 in nine venues across the country. The opening game ...

Crest, colours and jersey

Team name and emblem

Jersey

Sponsors on kit

Home grounds

Main stadiums

Other stadiums

Records

Team records

Individual records

Longest winning streak

Rankings

Games played

Tournaments

Rugby Championship

Rugby World Cup

Series played

Overall

Head to head results

Rivalries

Springboks vs All Blacks

Kapa o Pango haka

Springboks vs England

Players

Selection policy

Notable players

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

Award winners

Current squad

Recent call-ups

Coaches

Current coaching staff

Coach results

In popular culture

See also

Notes

References

Sources

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Rainbow nation "Rainbow nation" is a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to describe post-apartheid South Africa after South Africa's first democratic election in 1994. The phrase was elaborated upon by President Nelson Mandela in his first month of off ...
and 1995 World Cup