South Africa national rugby union team

South Africa
Nickname(s)Springboks
Bokke
Amabhokobhoko
Bokmasjien
EmblemSpringbok
UnionSA Rugby
Head coachJacques Nienaber
CaptainSiya Kolisi
Most capsVictor Matfield (127)
Top scorerPercy Montgomery (893)
Top try scorerBryan Habana (67)
Home stadiumVarious
First colours
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current1 (as of 16 October 2023)
Highest1 (2007; 2008, 2009, 2019–2021, 2022, 2023)
Lowest7 (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
Appearances8 (First in 1995)
Best resultChampions (1995, 2007, 2019, 2023)
Websitespringboks.rugby

The South Africa national rugby union team (Afrikaans: Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale rugbyspan), officially nicknamed the Springboks, represents South Africa in international rugby union. They are South Africa's most successful national sports teams, and are considered the second best rugby union team of all time overall (after New Zealand). They are also currently ranked first on the World Rugby Rankings.

South Africa has won the Rugby World Cup four times (in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023), which is more times than any other country. Even though South Africa has always been an important country for rugby union and rugby union is very popular in the country, South Africa was not allowed to compete in the first two World Cups (in 1987 and 1991) because of Apartheid.

References