South Africa national rugby union team facts for kids

The South Africa national rugby union team, often called the Springboks, is South Africa's national rugby team. The team wears green and gold jerseys with white shorts. Their special symbol is the Springbok, a type of antelope that is also South Africa's national animal. The Springboks have played international rugby since 1891. They are currently the world champions, having won the Rugby World Cup a record four times in 1995, 2007, 2019, and 2023. They are the only team to have won half of the World Cups they have played in. They are also the second team to win the World Cup two times in a row (2019 and 2023).

The Springboks first played in the World Cup in 1995. South Africa hosted the tournament that year, after becoming a democratic country. Even though South Africa helped create the Rugby World Cup, the Springboks could not play in the first two World Cups in 1987 and 1991. This was because of international protests against the country's unfair rules at the time. The Springboks' victory over the All Blacks in the 1995 final is a famous moment in South African sports history. It helped bring people together in the country.

South Africa won the World Cup again 12 years later. They beat England 15–6 in the 2007 final. After this win, the Springboks became the number one team in the world rankings. They were also named the 2008 World Team of the Year. They won their third World Cup in 2019, beating England 32–12 in the final. They were named World Team of the Year again in 2020. In 2023, they won their fourth World Cup, keeping their title as world champions.

The Springboks also play in the yearly Rugby Championship. This competition includes teams from the Southern Hemisphere: Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. They have won this championship five times. They are the only team to win both the Rugby Championship and the Rugby World Cup in the same year.

Rugby is a very popular sport in South Africa. The Springboks are a symbol of national pride, even for people who don't follow rugby closely. Many famous Springbok players and important South Africans are in the World Rugby Hall of Fame. The Springboks have also given many teams their biggest defeats, including Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, Uruguay, and Wales.

Quick facts for kids
South Africa

Nickname(s)	Springboks Springbokke Bokke Amabhokobhoko Bokmasjien Amabokokoko
Emblem	Springbok
Union	SA Rugby
Head coach	Rassie Erasmus
Captain	Siya Kolisi
Most caps	Eben Etzebeth (131)
Top scorer	Percy Montgomery (893)
Top try scorer	Bryan Habana (67)
Home stadium	Various
First colours Second colours Third colours
World Rugby ranking
Current	1 (as of 11 November 2024)
Highest	1 (2007–2008; 2009, 2019–2021, 2022, 2023–2024, 2024–present)
Lowest	7 (2017; 2018)
First international
South Africa 0–4 British Isles (Cape Town, South Africa; 30 July 1891)
Biggest win
South Africa 134–3 Uruguay  (East London, South Africa; 11 June 2005)
Biggest defeat
New Zealand 57–0 South Africa (Auckland, New Zealand; 16 September 2017)
World Cup
Appearances	8 (First in 1995)
Best result	Champions (1995, 2007, 2019, 2023)

History of the Springboks

Early Rugby Matches: 1891–1913

The first international rugby tour to South Africa happened in 1891. A team from the British Isles played 20 matches and won all of them. South Africa's rugby improved a lot by the 1896 tour. They won their first test match against the British Isles.

In 1903, the British Isles lost a series in South Africa for the first time. This boosted rugby's popularity in South Africa. The Springboks did not lose another series until 1956.

The first South African team to tour overseas went to the United Kingdom and France in 1906–07. They played against all four "Home Nations" (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales). Scotland was the only team to beat them. This tour made South Africans feel very proud. It was also during this tour that the team first got the nickname Springboks. In 1912–13, the Springboks toured Europe again. They beat all four Home Nations, achieving their first "Grand Slam."

Rugby Between the World Wars

By the time of the First World War, New Zealand and South Africa were the top rugby teams. In 1921, a Springbok tour to New Zealand was called "The World Championship of Rugby." The series ended in a draw.

In 1924, the British Lions (who got their name from the lion symbol on their ties) toured South Africa. The Springboks won three out of four test matches. The All Blacks first toured South Africa in 1928. That series also ended in a draw. The Springboks gave the All Blacks their biggest defeat since 1893 in the first match.

The Springboks toured Europe in 1931–32 and won their second Grand Slam. They beat England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In 1937, South Africa toured New Zealand and Australia. Their 2–1 series win made people call them "the best team to ever leave New Zealand."

The British Lions toured South Africa again in 1938. The Springboks won the first two matches easily. However, the Lions won the third match, their first win in South Africa since 1910.

After World War II

Danie Craven became coach in 1949. He started by winning ten matches in a row, including a 4–0 win over New Zealand.

The 1951–52 team that toured Europe was considered one of the best Springbok teams ever. They won the Grand Slam and beat France. They only lost one match out of 31. In 1956, the All Blacks won their first series against the Springboks in New Zealand. This was a very tough series.

When France toured South Africa in 1958, they were not expected to do well. But France surprised everyone by drawing one match and winning the series.

Challenges and Changes: 1960s–1980s

In the 1960s, there was growing international criticism of South Africa's unfair policies at the time. The Springboks became a target for protests. In 1960, the All Blacks toured South Africa despite many people being against it. The Springboks won that series. Later that year, the Springboks toured Europe and won their fourth Grand Slam.

The 1967 tour by the All Blacks was cancelled because the South African government would not allow Māori players. In 1969–70, the Springboks toured the UK and Ireland. Many anti-apartheid protests happened during this tour. Some matches had to be played behind fences.

In 1970, the All Blacks toured South Africa again. The South African government agreed to treat Māori players and fans as "honorary whites." The Springboks won the series. In 1971, the Springboks toured Australia. There were huge protests, and the team had to be flown by the air force because transport unions refused to help them. A planned tour of New Zealand in 1973 was stopped by the Prime Minister for public safety reasons.

In 1974, the British Lions toured South Africa and won the series. This tour was known for its very physical matches.

The 1976 All Blacks tour to South Africa went ahead, and the Springboks won. However, this tour led to international criticism. Many countries boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics in protest. In 1977, the Gleneagles Agreement discouraged sports contact with South Africa. Because of this pressure, the separate rugby unions in South Africa joined together in 1977.

From 1985 to 1991, South Africa did not play any test matches against major rugby nations due to international isolation. In 1985, a planned All Black tour was stopped. In 1986, a rebel team from New Zealand, called the Cavaliers, toured South Africa, and the Springboks won the series. The Springboks were not allowed to play in the first two Rugby World Cups in 1987 and 1991.

A New Era: The 1995 World Cup and Beyond

When the unfair policies in South Africa ended in 1990–91, the Springboks were allowed to play international rugby again in 1992. They found it hard to get back to their previous level at first. In 1992, they lost to New Zealand and Australia.

South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup. There was huge support for the Springboks from all communities, with the slogan "one team, one country." This was the first big international sports event in the new "Rainbow Nation." The Springboks, coached by Kitch Christie, were ranked ninth. They won their pool matches and then beat Western Samoa and France to reach the final. South Africa won the final against the All Blacks 15–12 in extra time. President Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok shirt, gave the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar. This moment was seen as a big step towards uniting South Africans.

After 1995, the team faced some challenges. Coach Kitch Christie resigned due to illness. New Zealand won a test series in South Africa for the first time in 1996. The Lions also won their 1997 tour series. In 1997, coach Nick Mallett led South Africa on an unbeaten tour of Europe. In 1998, the Springboks won 17 matches in a row, including the 1998 Tri-Nations. At the 1999 Rugby World Cup, they reached the semi-finals but lost to Australia.

In 2002 and 2003, the Springboks lost by big scores to England, France, Scotland, and New Zealand. At the 2003 Rugby World Cup, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals, which was their worst performance at that time.

After some wins in 2004, the Springboks won the 2004 Tri Nations Series. They were named the 2004 IRB International Team of the Year. In 2006, the Springboks lost to France, ending their long unbeaten home record.

World Cup Victories: 2007, 2019, 2023

At the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, the Springboks won all their pool games. They then beat Fiji in the quarter-finals and Argentina in the semi-finals. In the final, they beat England 15–6 to win the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time.

In January 2008, Peter de Villiers became the first non-white coach of the Springboks. His first team included ten players of color. The team finished last in the 2008 Tri Nations but won several matches later that year.

The 2009 season was better. The Springboks won a series against the Lions and then won the 2009 Tri Nations Series. They were named the IRB International Team of the Year. In 2010, they beat France for the first time since 2005. However, they did not do well in the 2010 Tri Nations.

In the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks won their group but lost to Australia 9–11 in the quarter-finals.

The Erasmus and Kolisi Era: 2018–Present

In 2018, Rassie Erasmus became the head coach. He made Siya Kolisi the new Springbok captain, which was a very important decision. In his first match, they lost to Wales. But a week later, they beat England. They won the series against England 2–1. In the 2018 Rugby Championship, the Springboks finished second. They had a thrilling 36–34 win over New Zealand in Wellington, their first win there since 2009.

2019 Rugby World Cup

The Springboks won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. They beat England 32–12 in the final. It was the first time a Black South African rugby captain, Siya Kolisi, lifted the Webb Ellis Cup. This win also meant a team had won the World Cup after losing a pool stage match. Siya Kolisi gave South African president Cyril Ramaphosa the number 6 jersey, just like Nelson Mandela did in 1995. This was South Africa's third World Cup win, tying them with the All Blacks for the most wins at the time.

Challenges During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Springbok matches were cancelled or postponed. In August 2020, South Africa pulled out of the Rugby Championship because of concerns for player safety and travel rules. They returned to international rugby in July 2021 after a year away.

2023 Rugby World Cup

The Springboks had a tough group in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, including Ireland and Scotland. They lost narrowly to Ireland but won their other pool matches.

The Bomb Squad: A key part of their success was the "Bomb Squad." This was a group of fresh players, especially front-row players, who came on later in matches. They helped the Springboks dominate the scrums.

The Springboks also had a very strong defense throughout the tournament. They gave away very few penalties and tackled exceptionally well. This strong defense was a big reason for their success.

The Springboks won three exciting matches by just one point in the 2023 World Cup:

• Quarter Final vs France: They beat the host nation, France, 29–28 in a very close game.
• Semi Final vs England: They fought hard against England and won 16–15 with a penalty kick in the last two minutes.
• Final vs New Zealand: In a thrilling final, the All Blacks had a player sent off early. Despite this, New Zealand defended strongly. The Springboks managed to win 12–11.

The 2023 Springboks team showed great unity. Players from different backgrounds came together under the idea of "Together in One Nation, One Team."

The Springboks won their fourth Rugby World Cup title, becoming the first nation to win four times. They also won their second World Cup in a row. Having played only 8 tournaments, South Africa has won 50% of the World Cups they have entered.

Team Symbols and Uniform

Team Name and Emblem

The Springbok emblem was first used by the team in 1906–07. This was to stop the British press from giving the team their own nickname. At that time, the emblem helped unite white English and Afrikaans-speaking players after the wars. The Springbok symbol later became linked with the unfair rules of the past. For example, in the early days, the Springboks refused to play against a team that included the first black player for England.

After the unfair rules ended, the government wanted to replace the Springbok emblem with a new symbol. The King Protea, South Africa's national flower, was chosen. For example, the national cricket team is called the Proteas. However, Nelson Mandela, who loved the Springbok rugby team, stepped in. He helped keep the Springbok emblem. After the team won the 1995 World Cup, a black rugby pioneer said, "The Springboks play for all of us."

In 2004, it was decided that the Protea would be the official emblem on blazers and caps. The Springbok could stay on the team jersey. South African Rugby (SARU) has worked to make sure the emblem represents unity and includes everyone.

Jersey Colours

South Africa plays in green jerseys with a gold collar and trim. They wear white shorts and green socks. The jersey has the SA Rugby logo on the left side and the Springbok logo on the right.

The first shirt worn by South Africa in 1891 was navy blue. The green jersey was first used in 1903. For their first tour to Great Britain and Ireland in 1906–07, South Africa wore a green jersey with a white collar, blue shorts, and blue socks.

When Australia first toured South Africa in 1933, they wore sky blue jerseys to avoid confusion, as both teams wore dark green. In 1953, the Springboks wore white jerseys for test matches against Australia. In 1961, Australia changed their jersey to gold.

Traditionally, South Africa's away uniform was a white shirt, usually with a gold collar, black shorts, and socks. In 2002, South Africa was the first team to have player names on the back of their jerseys. In 2006, a replica of the first jersey was worn to celebrate 100 years of the Springbok rugby team.

In 2008, the SARU decided to put the Protea on the left side of the jersey and the Springbok on the right. This new jersey was first worn in 2009. For the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the Springbok was moved to the right sleeve because of World Cup rules. This made some fans upset.

In 2017, the Springboks wore a red jersey in Argentina as part of a promotion. They wore jerseys in all the colours of the South African flag that season.

Jersey Sponsors

Nike has been the kit provider for all South Africa rugby teams since July 2023. The main shirt sponsor as of 2025 is FNB. Other sponsors appear on different parts of the uniform.

Home Grounds

The Springboks do not have just one home stadium. They play at different venues across South Africa.

The first international match in South Africa was in 1891 at Port Elizabeth's Crusader Grounds.

Main Stadiums

Venue	City	Capacity
Ellis Park Stadium	Johannesburg	62,500
Loftus Versfeld Stadium	Pretoria	51,700
Kings Park Stadium	Durban	52,000
Free State Stadium	Bloemfontein	46,000
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium	Gqeberha	46,000
Cape Town Stadium	Cape Town	55,000

The 62,500-seat Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg was the main venue for the 1995 World Cup. The Springboks beat the All Blacks there in the final. Ellis Park was built in 1928. In 1955, it hosted a record 100,000 people for a match between South Africa and the British & Irish Lions.

Playing at high altitude in places like Ellis Park can be an advantage for the Springboks. The ball travels further when kicked, and visiting teams sometimes find it physically challenging.

Other Stadiums

Venue	City	Capacity
FNB Stadium	Johannesburg	94,700
Newlands Stadium (retired)	Cape Town	51,900
Boet Erasmus Stadium (retired)	Port Elizabeth	33,852
Mbombela Stadium	Nelspruit	43,500
Buffalo City Stadium	East London	16,000
Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace	Phokeng	44,500
Puma Stadium	eMalahleni	20,000

The Springboks played their first test match at FNB Stadium (also known as Soccer City Stadium) on August 21, 2010. This was a Tri Nations match against New Zealand.

Team Records

Individual Player Records

Siya Kolisi is the most successful South African captain. He led the team to two World Cup wins in a row (2019 and 2023). He is also the only Springboks captain to have led South Africa to four wins in a row against the All Blacks. In 2024, he won more trophies as captain than any other Springboks captain before him. He also led the team to win the British & Irish Lions Series in 2021.

South Africa's most-capped player (most matches played) is Eben Etzebeth with 133 caps. He broke the record in September 2024. The player with the most caps in the backline is Bryan Habana. Percy Montgomery holds the South African record for Test points with 893.

John Smit was once the world's most-capped captain, leading South Africa in 83 of his 111 matches. He also played a record 46 matches in a row for South Africa.

The record try scorer is Bryan Habana with 67 tries from 124 games. In 2019, Cobus Reinach scored the earliest hat-trick (three tries) in World Cup history.

Longest Winning Streak

The Springboks' longest winning streak is 17 matches in a row. They achieved this between August 1997 and December 1998. During this time, they scored more than 50 points five times and beat Wales 96–13. They also beat France, Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland multiple times.

World Rankings

Men's World Rugby Rankings
Top 20 rankings as of 12 July, 2021
Rank	Change*	Team	Points
1		South Africa	094.20
2		New Zealand	088.95
3		England	085.44
4		Ireland	084.85
5	2	Australia	083.90
6	1	France	083.45
7	1	Wales	082.82
8		Scotland	082.02
9		Argentina	080.92
10		Japan	079.13
11		Fiji	076.87
12		Georgia	073.73
13	1	Samoa	071.88
14	1	Italy	070.65
15	2	Tonga	070.28
16		United States	068.10
17		Uruguay	067.02
18		Romania	066.22
19		Spain	064.82
20	1	Portugal	063.90
21	1	Russia	062.71
22		Hong Kong	061.23
23		Canada	061.11
24		Netherlands	059.30
25		Namibia	059.04
26		Brazil	056.32
27		Belgium	056.16
28	1	Chile	055.20
28	1	Switzerland	054.12
30		Germany	053.13
*Change from the previous week
South Africa's historical rankings
Source: World Rugby - Graph updated to 19 July 2021

South Africa is one of the most successful rugby teams ever. When the world ranking system started in October 2003, South Africa was ranked sixth. Their ranking changed over time until they won the 2007 Rugby World Cup, which briefly made them the number one team.

Overall, the Springboks and the New Zealand All Blacks have held the number 1 ranking for over 94% of the time since 2003. The Springboks are the only team to have won the Rugby World Cup four times (1995, 2007, 2019, and 2023). The All Blacks have won it three times. The Springboks have a winning record against all nations except the New Zealand All Blacks.

Games Played

Tournaments

Rugby Championship

The Springboks' main yearly tournament is The Rugby Championship. It used to be called the Tri-Nations. It includes Australia and New Zealand since 1996, and Argentina joined in 2012. The Springboks have won the tournament five times (1998, 2004, 2009, 2019, 2024). As part of this championship, South Africa also competes for the Mandela Challenge Plate with Australia and the Freedom Cup with New Zealand.

Tri Nations (1996–2011; 2020)
Nation	Matches				Points			Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD
New Zealand	76	52	0	24	2,054	1,449	+605	35	243	11
Australia	76	30	3	43	1,591	1,817	−226	34	160	3
South Africa	72	28	1	43	1,480	1,831	−351	24	138	3
Argentina	4	1	2	1	56	84	–28	0	8	0
Source:  lassen.co.nz – Tri-Nations, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa Bonus points given by T – 4W − 2D, for T table points, W games won and D games drawn.

Rugby Championship (since 2012)
Nation	Matches				Points			Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD
New Zealand	54	45	2	7	1,865	1,020	+876	34	219	8
Australia	54	25	3	26	1,254	1,445	−183	12	126	1
South Africa	54	26	4	24	1,364	1,221	+163	25	137	1
Argentina	54	7	1	46	969	1,774	−828	11	42	0
Updated: 25 September 2022 Source:  lassen.co.nz – TRC, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa Bonus points given by T – 4W − 2D, for T table points, W games won and D games drawn.

All-time Tri Nations and Rugby Championship Table (since 1996)
Nation	Matches				Points			Bonus points	Table points	Titles won
	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD
New Zealand	130	97	2	31	3,919	2,469	+1,481	69	462	19
Australia	130	55	6	69	2,845	3,262	−409	46	286	4
South Africa	126	54	5	67	2,844	3,052	−514	49	275	4
Argentina	58	8	3	47	1,025	1,858	−856	11	50	0
Updated: 25 September 2022 Bonus points given by T – 4W − 2D, for T table points, W games won and D games drawn.

Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	Squad	Head coach
1987	Barred from competing at tournament due to international sporting boycott during Apartheid
1991
1995	Champions	6	6	0	0	144	67	Squad	K. Christie
1999	Third Place	6	5	0	1	219	101	Squad	N. Mallett
2003	Quarter-finals	5	3	0	2	193	89	Squad	R. Straeuli
2007	Champions	7	7	0	0	278	86	Squad	J. White
2011	Quarter-finals	5	4	0	1	175	35	Squad	P. de Villiers
2015	Third Place	7	5	0	2	241	108	Squad	H. Meyer
2019	Champions	7	6	0	1	262	67	Squad	R. Erasmus
2023	Champions	7	6	0	1	208	88	Squad	J. Nienaber
2027	To be determined
2031
Total	Champions (4)	50	42	0	8	1720	641	—	—
Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place Home venue

The Springboks did not play in the 1987 and 1991 World Cups because of the international sports boycott.

South Africa's first World Cup was in 1995, when they hosted it. They beat the defending champions Australia in the first match. They then went on to beat the All Blacks 15–12 in extra time in the final.

In 1999, South Africa lost their first World Cup match when Australia beat them in the semi-final. They then won the third-place play-off against the All Blacks.

The Springboks' worst World Cup performance was in 2003. They lost a pool game to England and were then knocked out by the All Blacks in the quarter-finals.

In 2007, the Springboks beat Fiji in the quarter-finals and Argentina in the semi-finals. They then defeated England 15–6 in the final to win the tournament for the second time.

In 2011, the Springboks won all their pool games but lost to Australia 9–11 in the quarter-finals.

In the 2015 Rugby World Cup, South Africa lost 32–34 to Japan in their first pool match. This was one of the biggest upsets in rugby history. They reached the semi-finals but were beaten by the All Blacks 20–18.

In the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks lost their first pool match against the All Blacks. But they won the rest of their pool matches to reach the quarter-finals. They beat Japan, then Wales in the semi-finals, and finally England 32–12 in the final to become World Champions. South Africa became the second country to win the Rugby World Cup three times.

The Springboks won the 2023 Rugby World Cup by beating New Zealand 12–11 in the final. This was South Africa's fourth World Cup title and their second in a row.

Series Played

Most of the Springboks' test matches against other countries happened during tours or series. The first team to visit South Africa was the British Lions in 1891. The first Springbok overseas tour was to Europe in 1906–07.

South Africa's home and away series' played total
Team	Series stats					Home Series	Away Series
	Played	W	D	L	Win %
British & Irish Lions	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.29000064.29	1891, 1896, 1903, 1910, 1924, 1938, 1955, 1962, 1968, 1974, 1980, 1997, 2009, 2021
New Zealand	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.67000041.67	1928, 1949, 1960, 1970, 1976, 1996	1921, 1937, 1956, 1965, 1981, 1994
Australia	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&070.&&&&&070.00	1933, 1953, 1961, 1963, 1969	1937, 1956, 1965, 1971, 1993
France	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&069.23000069.23	1958, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1993, 2001, 2005, 2017	1968, 1974, 1992, 1996, 1997
Ireland	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080.00	1981, 1998, 2004, 2016, 2024
England	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&057.14000057.14	1984, 1994, 2000, 2007, 2012, 2018	2006
New Zealand Cavaliers	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000	1986
South American Jaguars	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075.00	1980, 1982, 1984	1980
World XV	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000	1977, 1989
Argentina	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000	1994, 2000, 2002	1993, 1996, 2003
Italy	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.0000	1999, 2010, 2025
Wales	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000	2002, 2008, 2014, 2022
Scotland	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000	2003, 2006,
Total	&&&&&&&&&&&&&083.&&&&&083	&&&&&&&&&&&&&059.&&&&&059	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&071.&8000071.08	• Bold text denotes series was won by South Africa • Italic text denotes series was drawn  • Plain text the series was lost  • Teams arranged in chronological order from first series played

Overall Match Results

Below are the Test Matches played by South Africa up until July 19, 2025. Only matches recognized as Test Matches by the South African Rugby Union are listed.

Opponent	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Win%	For	Aga	Diff
Argentina	38	33	4	1	87%	1,315	727	win
Australia	95	52	40	3	55%	1,923	1,672	win
British & Irish Lions	49	25	18	6	51%	636	554	win
Canada	3	3	0	0	100%	137	25	win
England	47	29	16	2	62%	1,017	804	win
Fiji	3	3	0	0	100%	129	41	win
France	46	28	12	6	61%	994	720	win
Georgia	3	3	0	0	100%	141	38	win
Ireland	30	19	10	1	63%	581	457	win
Italy	18	17	1	0	94%	851	219	win
Japan	3	2	1	0	67%	99	44	win
Namibia	3	3	0	0	100%	249	16	win
New Zealand	108	42	62	4	39%	1,789	2,235	loss
New Zealand Cavaliers ±	4	3	1	0	75%	96	62	win
Pacific Islanders	1	1	0	0	100%	38	24	win
Portugal	1	1	0	0	100%	64	21	win
Romania	2	2	0	0	100%	97	8	win
Samoa	9	9	0	0	100%	431	99	win
Scotland	30	25	5	0	83%	792	339	win
South American Jaguars	8	7	1	0	88%	210	114	win
Spain	1	1	0	0	100%	47	3	win
Tonga	3	3	0	0	100%	153	53	win
United States	4	4	0	0	100%	209	42	win
Uruguay	3	3	0	0	100%	245	12	win
Wales	43	35	7	1	81%	1,157	683	win
World XV	3	3	0	0	100%	87	59	win
Total	558	356	178	24	64%	13,487	9,071	+4,416

± The Cavaliers was an unofficial New Zealand team that toured South Africa in 1986. The New Zealand Rugby Union did not approve this team.

Team Rivalries

Springboks vs All Blacks

The Springboks' biggest rivals are the New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks. These two nations have played against each other for over a hundred years. Their rivalry is a key part of both countries' rugby cultures. They are often seen as the two most successful teams in international rugby. Matches between South Africa and New Zealand are always highly anticipated. The Springboks have a losing record only against the All Blacks. They have a winning record against all other teams.

Kapa o Pango Haka

The Kapa o Pango haka is a special dance the All Blacks perform before matches. It was first performed in 2005, and South Africa was the first team to face it. This was chosen because of the strong rivalry between the All Blacks and the Springboks.

On September 2, 2006, the Springboks became one of only four teams to beat the All Blacks after they performed the "Kapa o Pango" haka. The score was 21–20. The biggest loss for the All Blacks after performing this haka was against South Africa in August 2023, when the Springboks won 35–7.

The Springboks have won seven matches against the All Blacks when the "Kapa o Pango" haka was performed before the game. This is more than any other rugby team.

Springboks vs England

South Africa and England first played each other in 1906. Their rivalry has grown because they have met in two Rugby World Cup finals. The Springboks won both of these finals, in 2007 and 2019. In the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks played England in the semi-final and won 16–15. This added more excitement to their rivalry.

Players

Player Selection Policy

The Strategic Transformation Development Plan 2030 (STDP 2030) guides South African sports. It aims to make sports fair and include players from all backgrounds. For example, it aims for 60% of players to be from Black (African, Coloured, and Indian) backgrounds. This is a goal to match the country's population. These goals are not strict rules but rather targets to work towards.

Famous Players

Thirteen former South African international players have been added to the World Rugby Hall of Fame. These include:

• Fairy Heatlie: Played 6 matches between 1896 and 1903.
• Bennie Osler: Played 17 matches in a row between 1924 and 1933.
• Danie Craven: Played 16 matches between 1931 and 1938.
• Hennie Muller: Played 13 matches between 1949 and 1953.
• Frik du Preez: Played 38 matches between 1961 and 1971.
• Morné du Plessis: Played 22 matches between 1971 and 1980.
• Naas Botha: Played 28 matches between 1980 and 1992.
• Danie Gerber: Played 24 matches between 1980 and 1992.
• Francois Pienaar: Played 29 matches between 1993 and 1996.
• Joost van der Westhuizen: Played 89 matches between 1993 and 2003.
• Os du Randt: Played 80 matches between 1994 and 2007.
• John Smit: Played 111 matches between 2000 and 2011. He captained the Springboks 83 times.
• Bryan Habana: Played 124 matches between 2004 and 2016. He is second in all-time test tries with 67.

Other important people in the World Rugby Hall of Fame include:

• Kitch Christie: Coach of the 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning team.
• Jake White: Coach of the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning team.
• Nelson Mandela: For his big impact on the sport and uniting the country.

Award Winners

The following South Africa players have received awards at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:

World Rugby Try of the Year

Year	Date	Scorer	Match	Tournament
2009	27 June	Jaque Fourie	vs. British & Irish Lions	Lions Tour
2012	15 September	Bryan Habana	vs. New Zealand	Rugby Championship
2014	4 October	Francois Hougaard	vs. New Zealand	Rugby Championship

Current Team Squad

On June 15, South Africa announced a 45-player team for their July 2025 matches against the Barbarians, Italy, and Georgia.

Caps updated: July 12, 2025 (after South Africa v Italy second test)

Player	Position	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Club/province
Marx, MalcolmMalcolm Marx	Hooker	(1994-07-13) 13 July 1994 (age 31)	79	Kubota Spears
Mbonambi, BongiBongi Mbonambi	Hooker	(1991-01-07) 7 January 1991 (age 34)	79	Sharks
van der Merwe, MarnusMarnus van der Merwe	Hooker	(1997-02-17) 17 February 1997 (age 28)	1	Scarlets
du Toit, ThomasThomas du Toit	Prop	(1995-05-03) 3 May 1995 (age 30)	25	Bath
Fouché, NeethlingNeethling Fouché	Prop	(1993-01-10) 10 January 1993 (age 32)	1	Stormers
Koch, VincentVincent Koch	Prop	(1990-03-13) 13 March 1990 (age 35)	63	Sharks
Louw, WilcoWilco Louw	Prop	(1994-07-20) 20 July 1994 (age 31)	18	Bulls
Nché, OxOx Nché	Prop	(1995-07-23) 23 July 1995 (age 30)	41	Sharks
Ntlabakanye, AsenathiAsenathi Ntlabakanye	Prop	(1999-04-15) 15 April 1999 (age 26)	1	Lions
Venter, BoanBoan Venter	Prop	(1997-04-14) 14 April 1997 (age 28)	1	Edinburgh
Wessels, Jan-HendrikJan-Hendrik Wessels	Prop	(2001-05-08) 8 May 2001 (age 24)	5	Bulls
de Jager, LoodLood de Jager	Lock	(1992-12-17) 17 December 1992 (age 32)	67	Saitama Wild Knights
du Preez, Jean-LucJean-Luc du Preez	Lock	(1995-08-05) 5 August 1995 (age 30)	14	Sale Sharks
Etzebeth, EbenEben Etzebeth	Lock	(1991-10-29) 29 October 1991 (age 33)	133	Sharks
Kleyn, JeanJean Kleyn	Lock	(1993-08-26) 26 August 1993 (age 31)	7	Munster
Moerat, SalmaanSalmaan Moerat	Lock	(1998-03-06) 6 March 1998 (age 27)	11	Stormers
Mostert, FrancoFranco Mostert	Lock	(1990-11-27) 27 November 1990 (age 34)	79	Honda Heat
Nortjé, RuanRuan Nortjé	Lock	(1998-07-25) 25 July 1998 (age 27)	8	Bulls
Snyman, RGRG Snyman	Lock	(1995-01-29) 29 January 1995 (age 30)	42	Leinster
du Toit, Pieter-StephPieter-Steph du Toit	Loose forward	(1992-08-20) 20 August 1992 (age 33)	87	Toyota Verblitz
Kolisi, SiyaSiya Kolisi (c)	Loose forward	(1991-06-16) 16 June 1991 (age 34)	93	Sharks
Roos, EvanEvan Roos	Loose forward	(2000-01-21) 21 January 2000 (age 25)	8	Stormers
Smith, KwaggaKwagga Smith	Loose forward	(1993-06-11) 11 June 1993 (age 32)	53	Shizuoka Blue Revs
Tshituka, VincentVincent Tshituka	Loose forward	(1998-09-10) 10 September 1998 (age 26)	1	Sharks
van Staden, MarcoMarco van Staden	Loose forward	(1995-08-25) 25 August 1995 (age 29)	26	Bulls
Wiese, CobusCobus Wiese	Loose forward	(1997-06-02) 2 June 1997 (age 28)	1	Bulls
Wiese, JasperJasper Wiese	Loose forward	(1995-10-21) 21 October 1995 (age 29)	37	[[|Urayasu D-Rocks]]
de Klerk, FafFaf de Klerk	Scrum-half	(1991-10-19) 19 October 1991 (age 33)	60	Yokohama Canon Eagles
Reinach, CobusCobus Reinach	Scrum-half	(1990-02-07) 7 February 1990 (age 35)	41	Montpellier
van den Berg, MornéMorné van den Berg	Scrum-half	(1997-10-24) 24 October 1997 (age 27)	3	Lions
Williams, GrantGrant Williams	Scrum-half	(1996-07-02) 2 July 1996 (age 29)	19	Sharks
Feinberg-Mngomezulu, SachaSacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu	Fly-half	(2002-02-22) 22 February 2002 (age 23)	10	Stormers
Libbok, ManieManie Libbok	Fly-half	(1997-07-15) 15 July 1997 (age 28)	20	Stormers
Pollard, HandréHandré Pollard	Fly-half	(1994-03-11) 11 March 1994 (age 31)	82	Leicester Tigers
Willemse, DamianDamian Willemse	Fly-half	(1998-05-07) 7 May 1998 (age 27)	41	Stormers
de Allende, DamianDamian de Allende	Centre	(1991-11-25) 25 November 1991 (age 33)	89	Saitama Wild Knights
Esterhuizen, AndréAndré Esterhuizen	Centre	(1994-03-30) 30 March 1994 (age 31)	20	Sharks
Hooker, EthanEthan Hooker	Centre	(2003-01-20) 20 January 2003 (age 22)	1	Sharks
Kriel, JesseJesse Kriel	Centre	(1994-02-15) 15 February 1994 (age 31)	81	Yokohama Canon Eagles
Arendse, Kurt-LeeKurt-Lee Arendse	Wing	(1996-06-17) 17 June 1996 (age 29)	27	Bulls
Kolbe, CheslinCheslin Kolbe	Wing	(1993-11-28) 28 November 1993 (age 31)	43	Tokyo Sungoliath
Mapimpi, MakazoleMakazole Mapimpi	Wing	(1990-07-26) 26 July 1990 (age 35)	46	Sharks
Moodie, CananCanan Moodie	Wing	(2002-11-05) 5 November 2002 (age 22)	14	Bulls
van der Merwe, EdwillEdwill van der Merwe	Wing	(1996-04-12) 12 April 1996 (age 29)	3	Lions
Fassi, ApheleleAphelele Fassi	Fullback	(1998-01-23) 23 January 1998 (age 27)	12	Sharks
le Roux, WillieWillie le Roux	Fullback	(1989-08-18) 18 August 1989 (age 36)	100	Bulls

Recent Call-ups

• The following players were also named to a squad in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
	Grobbelaar, JohanJohan Grobbelaar	(1997-12-30) 30 December 1997 (age 27)	5	-	Bulls	2024 Rugby Championship
	Venter, Andre-HugoAndre-Hugo Venter	(2001-09-10) 10 September 2001 (age 23)	1	-	Stormers	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Dixon, Ben-JasonBen-Jason Dixon	(1998-04-29) 29 April 1998 (age 27)	3	-	Stormers	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	du Toit, Pieter-StephPieter-Steph du Toit	(1992-08-20) 20 August 1992 (age 33)	84	-	Toyota Verblitz	2024 Rugby Championship
	van Rensburg, Nico JanseNico Janse van Rensburg	(1994-05-06) 6 May 1994 (age 31)	1	-	Montpellier	2024 Rugby Championship
	Venter, RuanRuan Venter	(2002-11-29) 29 November 2002 (age 22)	1	-	Lions	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Malherbe, FransFrans Malherbe	(1991-03-14) 14 March 1991 (age 34)	70	-	Stormers	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Steenekamp, GerhardGerhard Steenekamp	(1997-04-09) 9 April 1997 (age 28)	11	-	Bulls	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Mchunu, NtuthukoNtuthuko Mchunu	(1999-04-05) 5 April 1999 (age 26)	3	-	Sharks	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Nyakane, TrevorTrevor Nyakane	(1989-05-04) 4 May 1989 (age 36)	67	-	Racing 92	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Buthelezi, PhepsiPhepsi Buthelezi	(1999-05-30) 30 May 1999 (age 26)	0	-	Sharks	2024 mid-year rugby union tests
	Louw, ElrighElrigh Louw	(1999-09-20) 20 September 1999 (age 25)	13	-	Bulls	2024 Rugby Championship
	Am, LukhanyoLukhanyo Am	(1993-11-28) 28 November 1993 (age 31)	42	-	Sharks	2024 Rugby Championship
	Horn, QuanQuan Horn	(2001-06-27) 27 June 2001 (age 24)	1	-	Lions	2024 mid-year rugby union tests

^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 announced on February 6, 2024:

Coaches	Position
Rassie Erasmus	Head Coach
Jerry Flannery	Defence Coach
Tony Brown	Attack Coach
Deon Davids	Forwards Coach
Mzwandile Stick	Backs Coach
Duane Vermeulen	Assistant Coach
Felix Jones	Assistant Coach
Daan Human	Scrum Consultant
Jaco Peyper	Laws Adviser

Coach Results

The role of the South Africa coach has changed a lot over time. So, it's hard to list every coach. The table below lists coaches since the 1949 All Blacks tour. Both World Cup-winning coaches, Christie and White, were added to the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011.

Name	Years	Tests	Won	Drew	Lost	Win percent	Accomplishments
Danie Craven	1949–1956	23	17	0	6	74%	New Zealand series win 1949; Australia series win 1953; British and Irish Lions series draw 1955; Australia series win 1956
Basil Kenyon	1958	2	0	1	1	0%
Boy Louw	1960, 1961, 1965	9	6	1	2	67%	Australia series win 1961
Izak Van Heerden	1962	4	3	0	1	75%	British and Irish Lions series win 1962
Felix du Plessis	1964	1	1	0	0	100%
Johan Claassen	1964, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974	21	13	3	6	62%	British and Irish Lions series win 1968; France series win 1968; New Zealand series win 1970; France series win 1971; Australia series win 1971
Hennie Muller	1960, 1961, 1963, 1965	16	7	1	8	44%	New Zealand series win 1960; Australia series win 1963;
Ian Kirkpatrick	1967, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977	12	9	1	2	75%	France series win 1967; France series win 1975, New Zealand series win 1976
Avril Malan	1969–1970	8	4	2	2	50%	Australia series win 1969
Nelie Smith	1980–1981	15	12	0	3	80%	South American Jaguars series win 1980 (1); British and Irish Lions series win 1980; South American Jaguars series win 1980 (2); Ireland series win 1981
Cecil Moss	1982–1989	12	10	0	2	83%	South American Jaguars series win 1982; England series win 1984; South American Jaguars series win 1984; NZ Cavaliers series win 1986; World Invitation series win 1989
John Williams	1992	5	1	4	0	20%
Ian McIntosh	1993–1994	12	4	2	6	33%
Kitch Christie	1994–1995	14	14	0	0	100%	Argentina series win 1994; Rugby World Cup winner 1995
Andre Markgraaff	1996	13	8	0	5	62%	France series win 1996; Tri-Nations runner up 1996; Argentina series win 1996
Carel du Plessis	1997	8	3	0	5	38%	Tri-Nations runner up 1997
Nick Mallett	1997–2000	38	27	0	11	71%	Ireland series win 1998; World record equal longest unbeaten run (17 Games) 1997–1998; Tri-Nations winner 1998; Italy series win 1999; Rugby World Cup 3rd place 1999
Harry Viljoen	2000–2001	15	8	1	7	53%
Rudolf Straeuli	2002–2003	23	12	0	11	52%	Wales series win 2002; Scotland series win 2003
Jake White	2004–2007	54	36	1	17	67%	Ireland series win 2004; Tri-Nations winner 2004; France series win 2005; Tri-Nations runner up 2005; Scotland series win 2006; England series win 2007; Rugby World Cup winner 2007
Peter de Villiers	2008–2011	48	30	0	18	63%	Wales series win 2008; Tri-Nations winner 2009; British and Irish Lions series win 2009
Heyneke Meyer	2012–2015	48	32	2	14	67%	England series win 2012; Rugby Championship runner-up 2012; Rugby Championship runner-up 2013; Wales series win 2014; Rugby Championship runner-up 2014, Rugby World Cup 3rd place 2015
Allister Coetzee	2016–2017	25	11	2	12	44%	Ireland series win 2016; France series win 2017
Rassie Erasmus	2018–2019	26	17	1	8	65%	England series win 2018; Rugby Championship runner-up 2018; Rugby Championship winner 2019; Rugby World Cup winner 2019
Jacques Nienaber	2020–2023	39	27	0	12	69%	British and Irish Lions series win 2021, Wales series win 2022, Rugby Championship runner-up 2022, Rugby Championship runner-up 2023, Rugby World Cup winner 2023
Rassie Erasmus	2024–	16	14	0	2	88%	Ireland series draw 2024, Australia series win 2024 (Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate), New Zealand series win 2024 (Freedom Cup), Rugby Championship winner 2024, Italy series win 2025

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