The South African national rugby union team is affectionately known as ‘the Springboks’. They’re the current back-to-back world champions, after claiming successive Rugby World Cups in 2019 and 2023. As a result, the team is one of the most formidable and feared on the planet today.
On this page you’ll find everything there is to know about the South Africa rugby team. You can discover the history of the Springboks, learn more about the current squad and uncover all of their achievements and titles. While you’re here, make sure you check out all of the latest Springboks news and analysis, too!
The 47-year-old was the guest on episode 230 of Eventful Lives with Dodge Woodall, the founder of the famed Bournemouth 7s Festival which is set to be staged on May 24-26.
Junior Springboks vice-captain JF van Heerden held back tears earlier this week after being asked about what it means to play for South Africa.
The South African national rugby union team is affectionately known as ‘the Springboks’. They’re the current back-to-back world champions, after claiming successive Rugby World Cups in 2019 and 2023. As a result, the team is one of the most formidable and feared on the planet today.
On this page you’ll find everything there is to know about the South Africa rugby team. You can discover the history of the Springboks, learn more about the current squad and uncover all of their achievements and titles. While you’re here, make sure you check out all of the latest Springboks news and analysis, too!
South Africa have competed in The Rugby Championship since the inception of the Tri Nations in 1996. This competition has a history of being fiercely competitive, but the Springboks have still managed to claim four titles (the same as Australia but well behind New Zealand’s tally of 20).
South Africa last won The Rugby Championship in 2019, which is also the year they claimed their third Rugby World Cup. This is their only championship title in the modern era, and their other three victories came in the old Tri Nations format (1998, 2004 and 2009).
The Springboks team could not compete in the first two editions of the Rugby World Cup due to anti-apartheid sporting boycotts. However, the first time the South Africa rugby team entered the competition in 1995, they both hosted it and won it.
Since then, the Springboks have won the tournament a further three times (2007, 2019 and 2023). This means that, despite the fact that they’ve only played in 8/10 tournaments, no team has won the Rugby World Cup more times than South Africa (four).
Bongi Mbonambi Hooker 
Deon Fourie Openside Flanker 
Duane Vermeulen Number 8 
Eben Etzebeth Lock 
Franco Mostert Lock 
Frans Malherbe Prop 
Jasper Wiese Number 8 
Jean Kleyn Lock 
Jean-Luc du Preez Number 8 
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Marco van Staden Blindside Flanker 
Marvin Orie Lock 
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Pieter-Steph du Toit Flanker 7 
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Siya Kolisi Blindside Flanker 
Steven Kitshoff Prop 
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Trevor Nyakane Prop 
Vincent Koch Prop 
Andre Esterhuizen Centre 
Canan Moodie Right wing 
Cheslin Kolbe Fullback 
Cobus Reinach Scrum Half 
Damian Willemse Fly half 
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Faf de Klerk Scrum Half 
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Grant Williams Scrum half 
Handre Pollard Fly half 
Herschel Jantjies Scrum Half 
Jaden Hendrikse Scrum Half 
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Kurt-Lee Arendse Full Back 
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Willie Le Roux Fullback The South Africa rugby team first began to gain prominence on the international stage in the 1900s. The team grew in stature quickly following their early successes and, by the inter-war years, they’d already established themselves as one of the great powers of rugby union.
However, although the South Africa national rugby union team has always been influential, the team haven’t always had a chance to display their dominance on the pitch. For example, although South Africa was instrumental in the creation of the Rugby World Cup, the team could not compete in the early editions of the tournament due to anti-apartheid sporting boycotts.
However, since they re-emerged on the world stage in the early 1990s, the Springboks have been a formidable force. They’ve captured four Rugby World Cups and four Tri Nations/The Rugby Championship titles, making them one of the most highly decorated teams in the history of the game. They’re also one of only two teams that have ever won back-to-back Rugby World Cups (alongside New Zealand).
Given the level of success they’ve experienced, the Springboks are the pride of South Africa. They’re also now viewed as a team that truly unites a nation. This was most clearly seen at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when Nelson Mandela, who was wearing a Springbok rugby jersey and cap, presented the Webb Ellis Cup to South African captain François Pienaar.
Several giants of the game have played for the South Africa rugby team on the international stage. As a result, 13 former Springboks players have been inducted into either the International Rugby Hall of Fame or the World Rugby Hall of Fame, including John Smit and Bryan Habana.
As you may expect considering they’re back-to-back Rugby World Cup winners, the current South Africa rugby squad also includes many genuine stars of the game. Springboks players to look out for include loose forward and captain Siya Kolisi, lock Eben Etzebeth and scrum-half Faf de Klerk.
South Africa National Rugby Union Team 
