The Springboks
South Africa's national rugby union team, competing in the Rugby Championship and historic tours.
The Springboks are the national rugby union team of South Africa. They are one of the four teams in the Rugby Championship, alongside Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.
Lore & Background
The Springboks were readmitted to international rugby in the early 1990s after sporting boycotts imposed in response to apartheid. They hosted and participated in their first Rugby World Cup in 1995, the third tournament in the competition's history. That same year marked the formal professionalisation of rugby union. In 1995, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa established SANZAR, and the annual Tri Nations Series (now the Rugby Championship) kicked off in 1996, ending the traditional touring practice.
Reader's Guide
The Springboks are coached by Rassie Erasmus. The coaching team includes attack coach Tony Brown, defence coach Jerry Flannery, forwards coach Deon Davids, backs coach Mzwandile Stick, assistant coaches Duane Vermeulen and Felix Jones, scrum consultant Daan Human, strength and conditioning coach Andy Edwards, and laws advisor Jaco Peyper. On 22 July 2026, South Africa named a 43-player squad ahead of their test match against Argentina and the four tests against New Zealand. The Springboks played four tests against New Zealand in 2026: the first test on 22 August (where Damian de Allende became the tenth Springbok to earn 100 test caps), the second test (where Pieter-Steph du Toit became the eleventh Springbok to earn 100 test caps), the third test, and the fourth test (the first test match between South Africa and New Zealand to take place in the United States).
More in Club History
Elsewhere in New Zealand All Blacks
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