South Africa have played at 8 of the 10 Rugby World Cup tournaments, having been unable to compete in the first two tournaments due to a sports boycott during the apartheid era, and have won 50% of tournaments in which they participated. Following the end of apartheid, they hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup and won the tournament, they were champions again at the 2007 tournament in France. The Springboks then made history when they beat England in the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan despite losing a pool stage match. They again made history in 2023 when both finalists lost pool matches.
The Springboks have the most tournament wins at the Rugby World Cup – having won 4 times – although they have participated in fewer tournaments. In addition to this, they are the only rugby team to have won every World Cup final they have played in.
By position
By matches
1995
Pool A
Quarter-final
Semi-final
Final
1999
Pool A
Quarter-final
Semi-final
Third-place play-off
2003
Pool C
Quarter-final
2007
Pool A
Quarter-final
Semi-final
Final
2011
Pool D
Quarter-final
2015
Pool B
Quarter-final
Semi-final
Bronze final
2019
Pool B
Quarter-final
Semi-final
Final
Overall record Overall record against all nations in the World Cup: Country Played Wins Draws Losses For Against +/- Winning percent 65-114979+7083 55--22042+178100 63-389113-2450 33--5951+8100 33--9848+50100 31-25756+133 22--6126+35100 22--867+79100 22--8623+63100 22--4843+5100 22--1443+141100 22--978+89100 22--7943+36100 22--12815+113100 22--1119+102100 21-15837+2150 11--4619+27100 11--493+46100 11--473+44100 1--1813-50Total 50 42 0 8 1720 641 +1079 84
References
Davies, Gerald (2004) The History of the Rugby World Cup, Sanctuary Publishing Ltd, () Farr-Jones, Nick, (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup, Australian Post Corporation, ()