YEAR IN REVIEW: Trophies and records for Springbok Class of 2024
Today at 06:03 AM
The ‘Class of 2024’ recorded one of their best years yet as the Springboks completed their end-of-year tour with a clean sweep of victories over Scotland, England, and Wales – the first time since 2013 that they have achieved this remarkable feat.
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The Springboks finished the year as the top team in the world rankings with 11 victories in 13 Tests, for a win record of 84.6% under the guidance of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.
Their two defeats, against Ireland and Argentina, were both by a single point.
In addition, they scored the third-highest number of tries in the year (57) since 1992 – 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.
Erasmus’s charges also added two notable trophies to the cabinet at SARU House in Cape Town – the Rugby Championship trophy (last won in 2019) and the Freedom Cup (against New Zealand, last held in 2009).
The Springboks 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. Image: SA Rugby website
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), among others.
The Springboks started their 2024 end-of-year tour with confidence after clinching the 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. Image: SA Rugby website
The Springboks will look to build on this success next season when they face Italy and Georgia in the Incoming Series in South Africa in July, and home Tests in the 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 (Siya Kolisi, Salmaan Moerat, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Eben Etzebeth)
3 World Rugby Player of the Year nominations (Du Toit, Etzebeth and Cheslin 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
What was YOUR Springbok highlight from 2024?
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