Nickname(s) | Springbok Women | ||
---|---|---|---|
Emblem | Springbok | ||
Union | South African Rugby Union | ||
Head coach | Louis Koen (interim) | ||
Captain | Nolusindiso Booi | ||
Most caps | Nolusindiso Booi | ||
| |||
World Rugby ranking | |||
Current | 12 (as of 4 September 2023) | ||
Highest | 10 (2011) | ||
First international | |||
South Africa 5–8 Wales ( Port Elizabeth, South Africa; 29 May 2004) | |||
Biggest win | |||
South Africa 128–3 Namibia ( Cape Town, South Africa; 23 June 2022) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
England 101–0 South Africa ( East Molesey, England; 14 May 2005) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 4 (First in 2006) | ||
Best result | 10th place, 2010, 2014 | ||
Website | https://www.sarugby.co.za/ |
The South Africa women's national rugby union team represents South Africa in women's international rugby union and is governed by the South African Rugby Union. They have appeared in three World Cups since their debut in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup.
The Springbok Women played their first Test in 2004. [1] They have won the Rugby Africa Women's Cup twice — in 2019 and 2022. [2] [3] South Africa climbed to eleventh place on the World Rugby ranking in September 2022 with wins over Japan and Spain. [4]
South Africa named their final 32-player squad on 21 September 2022, for the 2021 Rugby World Cup. [5]
Head coach | Stanley Raubenheimer |
Assistant coaches | Lungisa Kama, Eddie Myners |
World Rugby Intern coach | Laurian Johannes-Haupt |
Team manager | Nomsebenzi Tsotsobe |
Team doctor | Dr Moshe Magethi |
Physiotherapists | Reagan Cele, Lezane Ward |
Conditioning coach | Naasier Parker |
Performance coach | Dr Bianca Joseph |
Dietitian | Robyn Moore |
Analyst | Gillian Bourke |
High performance manager | Lynne Cantwell |
Media manager | J.J. Harmse |
For the full list of all Springbok Women matches:
Rugby World Ranking per year end [6]
Year | Ranking | Points | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | ΣMatches | ΣWon | ΣLost | ΣDraw |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | 26 | 46 | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - |
2005 | 24 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 3 | - |
2006 | 21 | 53.99 | 7 | 2 | 5 | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
2007 | 21 | 53.99 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
2008 | 21 | 53.99 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 | 8 | - |
2009 | 20 | 54.99 | 4 | - | 3 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 1 |
2010 | 11 | 69.06 | 9 | 6 | 3 | - | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 |
2011 | 10 | 70.72 | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
2012 | 11 | 70.72 | - | - | - | - | 28 | 10 | 17 | 1 |
2013 | 11 | 70.72 | 5 | 1 | 4 | - | 33 | 11 | 21 | 1 |
2014 | 12 | 68.51 | 6 | 1 | 5 | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2015 | 12 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2016 | 12 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2017 | 13 | 68.51 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 12 | 26 | 1 |
2018 | 12 | 67.98 | 3 | - | 3 | - | 42 | 12 | 29 | 1 |
2019 | 14 | 63.39 | 6 | 3 | 3 | - | 48 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
2020 | 13 | 63.39 | - | - | - | - | 48 | 15 | 32 | 1 |
2021 | 13 | 63.39 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 |
2022 | 13 | 64.50 | - | - | - | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 |
Total | - | - | 52 | 17 | 34 | 1 | 33% | 67% | 0% |
Rank | Change* | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | England | 96.90 | |
2 | 1 | New Zealand | 89.32 |
3 | 1 | Canada | 89.13 |
4 | France | 87.27 | |
5 | Australia | 78.00 | |
6 | Scotland | 75.99 | |
7 | United States | 74.57 | |
8 | Wales | 74.28 | |
9 | Italy | 74.26 | |
10 | Ireland | 73.53 | |
11 | Japan | 68.23 | |
12 | South Africa | 65.17 | |
13 | Spain | 65.15 | |
14 | Fiji | 61.19 | |
15 | Russia | 61.10 | |
16 | Netherlands | 58.98 | |
17 | Hong Kong | 58.76 | |
18 | Samoa | 58.48 | |
19 | Kazakhstan | 55.23 | |
20 | Sweden | 52.72 | |
*Change from the previous week |
Rugby World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | PF | PA | ||||||||||||
South Africa was not invited to any of the World Cups between 1991 and 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | Ninth play-off | 12th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 258 | ||||||||||||
2010 | Ninth play-off | 10th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 166 | ||||||||||||
2014 | Plate semi-final | 10th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 34 | 176 | ||||||||||||
2017 | Did Not Enter | |||||||||||||||||||
2021 [8] | Pool Stage | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 136 | ||||||||||||
2025 | Qualified | |||||||||||||||||||
2029 | TBD | |||||||||||||||||||
2033 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 4/9 | 10th† | 18 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 146 | 736 | ||||||||||||
|
Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 2006 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
Cameroon | 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Canada | 2009 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
England | 2005 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
Fiji | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
France | 2009 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0% |
Ireland | 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
Italy | 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
Japan | 2022 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
Kazakhstan | 2006 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% |
Kenya | 2019 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Madagascar | 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Namibia | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Netherlands | 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
New Zealand | 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
Samoa | 2006 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 66.67% |
Scotland | 2010 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40% |
Spain | 2014 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 57.14% |
Uganda | 2013 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
United States | 2009 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16.67% |
Wales | 2004 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 25% |
Zimbabwe | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Summary | 2004 | 73 | 30 | 1 | 41 | 41.10% |
Players
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.
Chester Mornay Williams was a South African rugby union player. He played as a winger for the South Africa national rugby union team (Springboks) from 1993 to 2000, most notably for the team that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was hosted in South Africa. He was the only non-white player on the team. During the tournament he scored four tries for South Africa in its quarter-final match and also appeared in the semi-final and final. Domestically he played rugby for the Western Province in the Currie Cup.
Siyamthanda "Siya" Kolisi, is a South African professional rugby union player who currently captains the South Africa national team. Having formerly played for the Stormers and Sharks in South Africa, he currently plays for Racing 92 in the French Top 14. He generally plays as a flanker and a loose forward. In 2018, Kolisi was appointed captain of the Springboks, becoming the first black man to hold the position and eventually leading the South African Rugby team to victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final against England.
Jozua Francois Malherbe is a South African professional rugby union player. He plays as a tighthead prop for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship and South Africa national team.
Pieter Stephanus du Toit is a South African professional rugby union player. Du Toit plays as a lock or a flanker for the South Africa national team and the Toyota Verblitz in Japan Rugby League One. After winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup with South Africa, he was awarded the 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year. He was awarded player of the match in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand.
Eben Etzebeth is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and the South Africa national rugby team. He made his international debut for the Springboks in 2012 and has since won more than 100 caps. His regular playing position is as a number 4 lock.
Willem Jacobus le Roux is a South African professional rugby union player. He is a versatile back-line player who generally plays as a fullback or wing, though earlier in his career he played mostly as a fly-half. He plays for the South Africa national team and for the Blue Bulls in the United Rugby Championship. He was born in Stellenbosch.
Trevor Ntando Nyakane is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Racing 92 in the French Top 14, and also the South Africa national rugby team, His regular playing position is prop and he has the ability to play at both loosehead and tighthead.
Damian de Allende is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Japanese club Saitama Wild Knights. His usual position is either centre or wing. He was a member of the Springboks team that won a record-equalling third Rugby World Cup in 2019 and he was a member of the Springboks team that won a record-setting fourth Rugby World Cup in 2023. De Allende is a part of a few elite players to have won two world cup titles.
Handré Pollard is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby. His regular playing positions are fly-half, where he started for South Africa in their 2019 Rugby World Cup Final win, and inside-centre. He has previously played for the Bulls and Blue Bulls in his native South Africa, Osaka Red Hurricanes in Japan and Montpellier in France. He is one of 43 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions, 24 of whom are South Africans.
Cheslin Kolbe is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for Tokyo Sungoliath in the Japan Rugby League One and the South Africa national team. His regular position is wing, but he also plays at fullback. He has also recently featured at fly half for Toulouse in the Top 14, and as a scrum half internationally. Kolbe was a member of the South Africa Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He has won the Rugby World Cup twice with South Africa, in 2019 and 2023. Kolbe was nominated for 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year but lost to teammate Pieter-Steph du Toit. He is widely regarded as the best winger in the world. He previously played for Toulouse, Toulon, Stormers, and Western Province. He has won the World Cup, Rugby Championship, and Lions Series with the Springboks, the Top14, and Champions Cup with Toulouse, the Currie Cup with Western Province, and the Challenge Cup with Toulon. He is one of the highest paid rugby players in the world, with a reported salary of between ¥130-155 million yen a season.
Lukhanyo Am is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship. His regular positions are centre and wing.
Malcolm Justin Marx is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national rugby team and Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One. His regular position is hooker, but he did play as a flanker at youth level for the Golden Lions.
Jesse André Kriel is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Canon Eagles in the Japanese Top League and South Africa national rugby team. His regular playing position is as a utility back but can also play centre, wing or fullback. Kriel was part of the national team who won the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he played in all the games of the latter.
Rudolph Gerhardus Snyman is a South African rugby union player who plays as a lock for United Rugby Championship club Munster and the South Africa national team. Snyman was part of the South Africa team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and 2023, and is widely known as 'The Viking' among fans and teammates in reference to his appearance.
Jean-Luc du Preez (born 5 August 1995 is a South African rugby union player for Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. He made his debut for South Africa in 2016 and his regular position is flanker, although he also plays at lock and number eight.
Makazole Drex Mapimpi is a South African professional rugby union player for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship and South Africa national team. He usually plays as a winger and centre. He was part of the winning Springboks of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. He became the first South African to score a try in a World Cup Final.
S'busiso Romeo Nkosi is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Free State Cheetahs in Currie Cup. His regular position is winger.
The Rugby Africa Women's Cup is an international women's rugby union competition contested by women's national teams from Africa.
Henco van Wyk is a South African rugby union player for the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup. His regular position is outside centre. He was selected for the SA Schools Team in 2019.