The Boks finished the year as the top team on the world rankings with a rewarding 11 victories in 13 Tests, for an admirable win record of 84.6% under the guidance of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. Their two defeats, against Ireland and Argentina, were by only a single point.

Adding to this, they scored the third highest number of tries in the season since 1992 in the process (57) – the most being in 2007 when they scored 81 tries, while they scored 74 five-pointers in 1997 when Erasmus donned the green and gold jersey himself, while the Bok coach used an extraordinary 50 players in the process.

Erasmus’ charges also added two notable trophies to the cabinet at SARU House in Cape Town – the Castle Lager Rugby Championship trophy (last won in 2019) and the Freedom Cup (against New Zealand, last held in 2009). The Boks also retained the Prince William Cup (against Wales), the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate (against Australia) and the Qatar Airways Cup.

Lifting the Nelson Mandela Plate in Perth.

These trophies boosted an already impressive trophy cabinet, which includes four Webb Ellis Cups and the last two British & Irish Lions Series trophies (2009 and 2021), amongst others.

The Boks entered the 2024 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with confidence after clinching the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title against New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, and they continued to make the country proud by registering a 32-15 victory against Scotland in in Edinburgh, which they built on with a 29-20 win against England in London, before wrapping up the tour with an impressive 45-12 victory against Wales in Cardiff.

Making the tour even more notable, Erasmus used 35 of the 36 players in the squad – the inclusion of Rugby World Cup-winning lock Jean Kleyn as an injury replacement for Ruan Nortje increased the number of players in the group to 36 – and had it not been for the withdrawal of Kleyn for the match-up against Wales, he would have used all the players in his squad once again.

The Springboks regained the Freedom Cup in 2024.

The Boks will undoubtedly look to build on this success next season when they face Italy and Georgia in the Castle Lager Incoming Series in South Africa in July, and home Tests in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship against Australia – who they defeated twice in succession abroad this season – as well as Argentina.

Springboks by the numbers in 2024
#1 on the World Rugby Rankings
13 Tests Played
11 Tests won
2 Tests lost
57 tries scored
23 tries conceded (three clean-sheets, against Australia, New Zealand and Scotland)
450 points scored
220 points conceded
50 players used
4 captains (Kolisi, Moerat, Du Toit and Etzebeth)
3 World Rugby Player of the Year nominations (Du Toit, Etzebeth and Kolbe)
12 new caps

New caps:
Jordan Hendrikse
Edwill vd Merwe
Ben-Jason Dixon
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Johan Grobbelaar
Phepsi Buthelezi
Morne van den Berg
Andre-Hugo Venter
Ruan Venter
Quan Horn
Cameron Hanekom

50th Tests
Vincent Koch
Kwagga Smith