South Africa national rugby union team

The Springboks or Bokke are the South African national rugby union team.

Related Topics:
South African - Rugby union

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Rugby was first played in South Africa in 1878 by Hamilton club in Cape Town. The first ever British Lions tour took place in 1891 with the trip financially underwritten by Cecil Rhodes, there were also tours in 1896 and 1903. Rugby was well suited to the lifestyle of the Afrikaners and it became so popular that in 1902 there was a temporary ceasfire in the Boer War so that a rugby game could be played between British and Boer forces.

Related Topics:
Cape Town - Afrikaners - Boer War

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The first tour of Britain took place in 1906/7 when the famous green shirts and the name Springbok were adopted. The Springboks and the All Blacks started a famous rivalry and dominance of the game swung between New Zealand to South Africa. Until the 1990s, they had a positive win record against every nation they played. Due to the government's policy of apartheid, and insistence that touring teams only contain white players, they were excluded from international rugby, with their last tour before readmittance being the infamous 1981 tour of New Zealand, which saw that country divided in two, and was racked by demonstrations.

Related Topics:
Springbok - 1990 - Apartheid - 1981 - Tour of New Zealand

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The Springboks were readmitted to international rugby after the demise of apartheid, and initially struggled to return to their previous high standards. However, by the time they hosted the 1995 World Cup, they were one of the favourites, winning an epic final against New Zealand 15-12. In 1998, under coach Nick Mallett, they went on a record winning streak, winning 17 consecutive tests, including the 1998 Tri Nations Series, before an exhausted team lost to England at the end of a long tour. Since then, the team fell upon hard times for several years, regularly finishing last in the Tri Nations. 2002/3 was their worst ever season, seeing them lose by record margins to France, England, Scotland and New Zealand, defeating Argentina by only one point, and being easily dispatched in the quarter finals of the 2003 World Cup.

Related Topics:
1995 World Cup - Nick Mallett - Tri Nations Series - France - England - Scotland - New Zealand - Argentina - 2003 World Cup

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The buildup to the Boks' 2003 World Cup campaign was tumultuous. During a pre-World Cup training camp, there was a highly publicized dispute between Geo Cronjé (an Afrikaner) and Quinton Davids (a coloured). Both were dropped from the team, and Cronjé was called before a tribunal to answer charges that his actions in the dispute were racially motivated. (Cronjé was eventually cleared.) Later, the Boks were sent to a military-style boot camp in the South African bush called Kamp Staaldraad (literal English translation "Camp Steel-wire", idiomatically "Camp Barbed Wire"). When details of the events at Kamp Staaldraad leaked, most South African rugby supporters reacted in outrage.

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After the World Cup debacle, Boks coach Rudolf Straeuli was under fire, not only because of the team's poor results, but because of his role in organizing Kamp Staaldraad. He eventually resigned, as did Rian Oberholzer, the managing director of South Africa Rugby (Pty) Ltd, the commercial arm of the South Africa Rugby Football Union. Soon afterwards, SARFU president Silas Nkununu, facing a strong reelection challenge, withdrew from consideration for election. New president Brian van Rooyen has overhauled the South African rugby organization, though not without some controversy.

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In February 2004, Jake White was named as the Boks' new coach. He had previously coached the Springboks under-21 side, which won the inaugural U21 Rugby World Cup in 2002 under his direction.

Related Topics:
Jake White - 2002

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The Boks then proceeded to prove to the rugby world that they were ready to return to past greatness, starting with a sweep of Ireland in a two-Test series and a win over Wales during their opponents' June 2004 tours of the Southern Hemisphere. Next came a pulsating win in the most closely-contested Tri Nations Series in history, discussed in more detail below. In November 2004, they went on an ambitious "Grand Slam" tour of the Home Nations. The Boks lost decisively to England, lost a controversial decision to Ireland, won a hard-fought match with Wales, and won comfortably over Scotland. While the tour did not live up to the Boks' original aspirations, it nonetheless proved that the Boks had awakened from their slumber of the past few years.

Related Topics:
Ireland - Wales - Tri Nations Series - Home Nations - England - Scotland

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Their resurgence was honored at the end of their tour with a sweep of the major IRB awards. The Boks were named IRB World Team of the Year, White was named IRB World Coach of the Year, and young flanker Schalk Burger was named IRB World Player of the Year.

Related Topics:
IRB - Schalk Burger

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