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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.
Jacobus Francois Pienaar is a retired South African rugby union player. He played flanker for South Africa from 1993 until 1996, winning 29 international caps, all of them as captain. He is best known for leading South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. After being dropped from the Springbok team in 1996, Pienaar went on to a career with English club Saracens.
Jacobus Petrus "Os" du Randt is a former South African rugby union loosehead prop who retired as the most-capped forward in the history of the Springboks. For most of his career, he played in the domestic Currie Cup for the Free State Cheetahs, though he spent one season with the Blue Bulls. In Super Rugby, he represented the Free State Cheetahs when South Africa sent its top Currie Cup teams to the competition instead of franchised sides, later represented the Cats franchise, spent one season with the Bulls before returning to the Cats, and still later played for the Cheetahs. He ended his career as one of the last remaining international-level players from the amateur era of the sport and the last active member of the 1995 World Cup-winning squad. His final match was the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, which the Springboks won, with Du Randt playing the entire 80 minutes. He is one of 43 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions, only 24 of whom are South Africans.
John William Smit, OIS, is a South African former professional rugby union player and former chief executive officer of the Sharks. He was the 50th captain of the Springbok rugby union team and led the team to win the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He played most of his senior career as a hooker, but also won 13 caps as a prop, where he had also played for South Africa's under-21 team. He retired from international rugby following the 2011 Rugby World Cup as the most-capped South African player ever, with 111 appearances.
Victor Matfield is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for and captained the South Africa national team (Springboks) as well as the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and the Bulls franchise in Super Rugby. He is generally considered one of the best locks to have ever played for South Africa and had a long successful partnership with Springbok and Blue Bulls teammate Bakkies Botha.
Wynand Olivier is a former South African professional rugby union player.His usual position was at centre.
Ulrich Louis Schmidt is a former South African rugby union footballer. His usual position was at hooker, where he played for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup, and later the Golden Lions, as well as the national team, the Springboks. He later became a Springbok team doctor.
Benjamin Louwrens Osler was a rugby union footballer who played internationally for South Africa. Osler played mainly at fly-half for both South Africa, and his provincial team of Western Province.
Barry "Fairy" Heatlie was a rugby union player, representing both South Africa and Argentina. He was the fifth captain of the South African rugby union team and is attributed as the man who gave the Springboks their famous green jersey.
Marius Hofmeyr Hurter, is a former South African rugby union player who played for South Africa between 1995 and 1997. He was a member of the Springbok Squad that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Johannes Jacobus Strydom was a South African rugby union player who played as a lock. He earned 21 caps for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1997.
Johannes Servaas Germishuys, best known as Gerrie Germishuys is a former South African rugby union player who played wing for the Springboks.
Charlie Jones was a South African international rugby union player who played as a fullback.
Japie Krige was a South African international rugby union player who played as a centre.
Klondyke Raaff was a South African international rugby union player who played as a forward.
Syd de Melker was a Cape Colony international rugby union player who played as a centre.
Rajah Martheze was a South African international rugby union player who played as a forward.
Bob Loubser was a South African international rugby union player who played as a wing.
Alec Reid was a South African international rugby union player who played as a forward.
References
- ↑ "Tommy Hepburn - South Africa". ESPNscrum. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- ↑ "Springbok Hall of Fame". Springbok Hall of Fame. Retrieved 27 May 2019.