The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the top-ranked rugby team in the world and reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.
Schalk Willem Petrus Burger Jr. is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played as a flanker for Saracens in the English Premiership and has won 86 caps for South Africa.
Bryan Gary Habana OIS is a South African former professional rugby union player. Playing mainly as a wing, he is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He played for the Golden Lions, the Blue Bulls and Western Province in South Africa, for the Bulls and the Stormers in Super Rugby, and for Toulon in the French Top 14, and won 124 caps for the South Africa national team.
Daniël Mattheus Gerber is a South African former rugby union player who played for South Africa between 1980 and 1992. He played mainly at inside or outside centre, but also on the wing.
Stefanus Sebastian "Basie" Vivier was a South African rugby union player. He was capped for South Africa five times in 1956, though he was first selected to play for the Springboks on the 1951–52 South Africa rugby tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France; but was never selected for an international match on that tour. The touring team of 1951/52 is seen as one of the greatest South African teams, winning 30 of the 31 matches, including all five internationals.
Jan Albertus Jacobus Pickard was a South African rugby union international who played as a lock. Born in Paarl and a product of Stellenbosch University, Pickard made his provincial debut for Western Province in 1951. He was the grandfather of Francois Louw, who also played for Western Province and South Africa. Pickard was selected to represent South Africa on the 1951–52 tour of Great Britain and France, although he was not selected for any of the Test matches. His first appearance in a Test match came in September 1953, against Australia in Durban. South Africa won the game 18–8, this was followed by a further victory over Australia a week later—a 22–9 victory in Port Elizabeth, which Pickard also took part in. The next time Pickard was selected for South Africa was for the 1956 tour of Australia and New Zealand. He was selected to play in the second Test of the four match series against New Zealand and played as a number eight in an 8–3 South Africa victory. Pickard made his final appearance for South Africa in August 1958 against France at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. France won the game 9–5, with Pickard playing in his usual position at Lock. Pickard died in Cape Town in May 1998 at the age of 70.
Coenraad Frederik "Popeye" Strydom was a South Africa national rugby union team player. In all, Strydom made six appearances for the Springboks between 1955 and 1958.
Stephen Perry Fry was a South African rugby union player, most often playing as a flanker. Fry played rugby for his home town of Somerset West and provincial rugby for Western Province. He won 13 caps for the South African national team, and captained the country in four matches against the British Lions.
Ryk Arnoldus Mauritius van Schoor was a South African rugby union centre, a crash ball specialist he was known for his hard tackling. Van Schoor played club rugby for Inyazura RFC and provincial rugby for both Western Province and Rhodesia. He was capped for South Africa twelve times between 1949 and 1953 first representing the team against the 1949 touring New Zealand side. He was later selected for the 1951–52 South Africa rugby tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France. The touring team is seen as one of the greatest South African teams, winning 30 of the 31 matches, including all five internationals.
Paul Geoffrey Allen Johnstone was a South African rugby union wing. Johnstone played club rugby in South Africa for Paarl, Hamiltons, Villagers, Pirates and Berea Rovers; and in the UK for Blackheath He played provincial rugby for both Natal and Western Province. He was capped for South Africa nine times between 1951 and 1956 first representing the team on the 1951–52 South Africa rugby tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France. The touring team is seen as one of the greatest South African teams, winning 30 of the 31 matches, including all five internationals.
Gerhard Hamilton Brand was a Springbok rugby union footballer who played in 16 tests between 1928 and 1938. Brand has been described as the best kicker of his era, as well as a "magnificent defensive player" with a "wonderful tackle". According to Guinness World Records he executed the longest drop goal in rugby union to date. Brand's 55 test career points for the Springboks set a 27-year record (1938–65), which was eventually surpassed by Keith Oxlee.
Pieter Willem Gabriel Rossouw is a South African former professional rugby player and current coach. Rossouw played wing for Western Province in the Currie Cup and the Stormers in the Super Rugby competition. He played a total of 43 times for the Springboks, making him one of the most capped Springbok wingers after South Africa's readmission to international rugby. He was also one of South Africa's most prolific try-scoring wingers, post-isolation, with only Breyton Paulse(26) and Bryan Habana(53) scoring more tries. He is 7th on the all-time try-scoring list for the Springboks. Rossouw is currently the backline coach of the Bulls in Super rugby and the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. He was known as "Slaptjips", apparently because the sight of his running legs was like potato chips slapping together. Pieter is the older brother of Chris Rossouw, who played flyhalf for Western Province and the Free State Cheetahs.
The History of the South Africa national rugby union team dates back to 1891, when the British Lions first toured South Africa where they played against South African representative sides. The South Africa national rugby union team played few international matches during a period of international sanctions due to apartheid. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has once again fully participated in international rugby.
Warren Guy Brosnihan is a South African former rugby union player.
Jeremy John Nel is a South African former rugby union player.
Daniël Francois Retief was a South African rugby union player.
Albertus Johannes van der Merwe was a South African rugby union player.
George Philip "Flappie" Lochner was a South African rugby union player.
Theunis Petrus Daniël Briers was a South African rugby union player.
