Springbok Rugby Team

The Springboks are the South African national rugby team. Until the 1990s, they had a positive win record against every nation they played, with New Zealand's All Blacks being their greatest rivals. Due to the governments 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 to New Zealand, which saw that country divided in two, and was racked by demonstrations.

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 has fallen upon hard times, regularly ending 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.