Nickname | Springbok Women | ||
---|---|---|---|
Emblem | Springbok | ||
Union | South African Rugby Union | ||
Head coach | Swys de Bruin | ||
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 four 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]
On 22 September, South Africa announced their 30-member squad to WXV2. [5]
Head coach | Swys de Bruin |
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 | 97.56 | |
2 | Canada | 89.31 | |
3 | New Zealand | 88.64 | |
4 | France | 85.11 | |
5 | Australia | 78.10 | |
6 | Ireland | 78.03 | |
7 | Scotland | 76.82 | |
8 | Italy | 74.75 | |
9 | United States | 74.20 | |
10 | Wales | 72.58 | |
11 | Japan | 66.41 | |
12 | South Africa | 66.18 | |
13 | Spain | 65.42 | |
14 | Russia | 61.10 | |
15 | Samoa | 60.56 | |
16 | Netherlands | 60.20 | |
17 | Fiji | 59.14 | |
18 | Hong Kong | 56.20 | |
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 reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa are the only team to have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in, and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.
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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 Racing 92, he currently plays for Sharks in the URC. 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, and again 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 130 caps, making him the Springboks' most capped player. His regular playing position is as a tighthead lock. He is widely regarded as one of the best locks in the history of the game.
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. He is known for his vision, try assisting and ability under the high ball. He is widely regarded as one of the best fullbacks of his generation.
Trevor Ntando Nyakane is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship 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.
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.
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Makazole D-rex 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.
Zintle Mpupha is a South African women's rugby union player and cricketer from Middledrift, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She played cricket for Border cricket team and rugby for Border Bulldogs as well as the South Africa women's national rugby sevens team as a fly half.
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Nadine Roos is a South African rugby union and sevens player.
Eloise Webb is a South African rugby player. She has represented South Africa internationally in rugby sevens and fifteens.