List of South Africa national rugby union team records

South Africa (known as the Springboks) are a rugby union national team that played their first international match in 1891.

The records listed below only include performances in test matches. The top ten are listed in each category (except when there is a tie for the last place among the five or ten, when all the tied record holders are noted).

Team records

Greatest winning marginLargest Springbok test victories, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# Points margin (score)Opposing team VenueDate 1 131 (134–3) Buffalo City Stadium, East London 11 June 2005 2 101 (101–0) Kings Park Stadium, Durban 19 June 1999 3 92 (105–13) Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 15 August 2007 4 87 (87–0) North Harbour Stadium, Auckland 22 September 2011 5 83 (96–13) Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 27 June 1998 6 76 (76–0) Stade Atlantique, Bordeaux 17 September 2023 7 73 (73–0) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 29 November 2025 8 71 (74–3) Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth 12 June 1999 9 66 (72–6) Subiaco Oval, Perth 11 October 200310 64 (74–10) Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 10 June 1997 64 (64–0) London Stadium, London 7 October 2015

Greatest losing marginLargest Springbok test defeats, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026. # Points margin (score) Opposing team Venue Date 1 57 (0–57) North Harbour Stadium, Albany 16 September 2017 2 50 (3–53) Twickenham Stadium, London 23 November 2002 3 49 (0–49) Lang Park, Brisbane 15 July 2006 4 42 (15–57) Kings Park Stadium, Durban 8 October 2016 5 36 (16–52) Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 19 July 2003 6 35 (3–38) Aviva Stadium, Ireland 11 November 2017 7 33 (7–40) Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington 30 July 20118 28 (0–28) Carisbrook, Dunedin 10 July 1999 28 (13–41) Rugby League Park, Christchurch 17 September 2016 10 27 (6–33) Lancaster Park, Christchurch 14 July 2007

Individual records

Most CapsPlayers with the most tests, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# Name PeriodCapsStartsSubsPosition1Eben Etzebeth2012–14713611Lock2Victor Matfield2001–20151271216Lock3Bryan Habana2004–2016124 1222Wing/Centre4Tendai Mtawarira2008–201911710215Prop5John Smit2000–20111119417Hooker/Prop6Jean de Villiers2002–20151091054Centre/Wing7Siya Kolisi2013–1079215Loose Forward8Damian de Allende2014–103949Centre9Pieter-Steph du Toit2013–1028022Flanker/LockPercy Montgomery1997–20089012Fullback/Fly-Half/Centre

Most PointsPlayers with the most points, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# Name Period Points Caps Tries Con Pen DG Ave1Percy Montgomery1997–20088931022515314862Handré Pollard2014–84488813217553Morné Steyn2009–2021742 688102156104Bryan Habana2004–2016335124670005Elton Jantjies2012–2022331462666216Naas Botha1980–19923122825050187Joel Stransky1993–1996240226304738Braam van Straaten1999–2001221212235509Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu2024–1952595116010Joost van der Westhuizen1993–20031908938000

Most TriesPlayers with the most tries, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# Name PeriodTriesCapsPer gamePosition 1 Bryan Habana 2004–2017 67 124 % Wing/Centre 2 Joost van der Westhuizen 1993–2003 38 89 % Scrum-Half 3 Makazole Mapimpi 2018– 33 47 % Wing 4 Jaque Fourie 2003–2013 32 72 % Centre/Wing 5 Malcolm Marx 2016– 28 94 % Hooker6 Kurt-Lee Arendse 2022– 27 35 % Wing Jean de Villiers 2002–2015 109 % Centre/Wing 8 Breyton Paulse 1997–2007 26 64 % Wing/Fullback9 Jesse Kriel 2015– 25 94 % Centre Percy Montgomery 1997–2008 102 % Fullback/Fly-Half/Centre

Most Matches as CaptainMost games as captain, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.Best winning record as captain, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# NamePeriod Wins Win % Position1 John Smit 2003–20118354%Hooker/Tighthead Prop2 Siya Kolisi 2018–7556%Loose Forward3 Jean de Villiers 2012–20153724%Centre4 Gary Teichmann 1996–19993626%Eighth Man5 Francois Pienaar 1993–19962919%Flanker6 Victor Matfield 2007–20152317%Lock7 Dawie de Villiers 1965–19702213%Scrum-Half8 Corné Krige 1999–2003187%Flanker9 André Vos 1999–2001169%Loose Forward10 Morné du Plessis 1975–19801513%Eighth Man

Match Records Most Points in a Single MatchPlayers with the most points in a match, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# Player Points Opposing team Venue Date Result 1 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 37 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 27 September 2025 67–30 2 Percy Montgomery 35 Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 15 August 2007 105–13 3 Jannie de Beer 34 Stade de France, Saint-Denis 24 October 1999 44–214 Percy Montgomery 31 Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria 27 June 1998 96–13 Morné Steyn Kings Park Stadium, Durban 1 August 2009 31–19 Handré Pollard Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta 10 August 2019 46–13 7 Tonderai Chavhanga 30 Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London 11 June 2005 134–38 Gaffie du Toit 29 Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 12 June 1999 74–3 Percy Montgomery Parc des Princes, Paris 9 September 2007 59–710 Gavin Johnson 28 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 13 April 1995 60–8 Morné Steyn FNB Stadium, Johannesburg 17 August 2013 73–13 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 29 November 2025 73–0

Most Tries in a Single MatchPlayers with 3 or more tries per match, Springbok Rugby History, 6 September 2026.# Player Tries Opposing team Venue Date Result 1 Tonderai Chavhanga 6 Buffalo City Stadium, East London 11 June 2005 134–3 2 Stefan Terblanche 5 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 19 June 1999 101–0 3 Chester Williams 4 Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 10 June 1995 42–14 Pieter Rossouw Parc des Princes, Paris 22 November 1997 52–10 Stefan Terblanche Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein 13 June 1998 37–13 Bryan Habana Parc des Princes, Paris 9 September 2007 59–7 Jongi Nokwe Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 30 August 2008 53–8 8 20 players 328 occasions

References