# South Africa national rugby league team

The South Africa national rugby league team to date have competed at two Rugby League World Cups in 1995 and 2000.
South Africa traditionally play in a predominately green uniform with black shorts, they have commonly been referred to as The Rhinos since the early 1990s. The South African emblem is a red and yellow King Protea plant which is the national flower of South Africa. South African internationals are played at a variety of venues throughout the country with no singular home ground being used.

## History

Rugby league first gained attention in South Africa when the English and French attempted expansion in the 1950s for the purpose of creating further international opposition. Three games were then played between the two nations on the continent but both sides viewed the matches as nothing more than friendly fixtures so never undertook the games in a serious manner and the public never subsequently took to the three exhibition games. Though rugby league was only seriously played in South Africa beginning in the 1950s, the sport was not unknown to South Africans prior to that decade; for example, a number of notable black and Coloured rugby union players, such as David Barends, Green Vigo, and Enslin Dlambulo, code-switched from union to league and moved overseas, in part because of the allure of professionalism, while also escaping the apartheid regime.
Over the next several years, rugby league lay dormant in South Africa and it was not until the 1960s when talks of creating a national side began. After much discussion within South Africa, it was eventually agreed for a national side to play a touring Great Britain and then undertake a tour of Australasia. The first South African national side played their first competitive fixture on 23 August 1962 and put on a good showing against the much stronger British but eventually lost by nineteen points 49–30. The following two fixtures turned out to be much the same with the South Africans being defeated on another two occasions but putting in good performances whilst never being comprehensively beaten. The South Africans embarked on their first tour eleven months later with a twenty-four-man squad that included several former Springboks. The tour started with several friendly fixtures against various minor representative sides where they gained two comfortable victories; the first international fixture of the tour took place in Brisbane against the world champion Australians and the South Africans performed with courage but eventually lost the match 34–6. The following test was played a week later in Sydney that again saw the team put in a tough effort but lost again 54–21. South Africa left Australia without an international win and be low on confidence heading to New Zealand to play a sole fixture against the New Zealand national side whom were expected to win comfortably. However, the match turned out to be a tough encounter and surprisingly saw the team gain its first international victory 4–3 The South Africans featured several Australian players bought in to cover injuries and improve the quality of the side and so the match against New Zealand is not counted as a test match.
After this first string of international fixtures the South Africans became disheartened after only winning four of the thirteen tour matches and rugby league again lay dormant for decades.
The Rugby League World Cup tournament had been scheduled to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 1965, this time with the inclusion of the South African team. However the tournament was abandoned.
The early 1990s saw new South African administrators begin to rebuild the international facet of South African rugby. During 1992, the South African national side again played for the first time in years against several combined African representative teams and the following years saw things look more promising for the Africans with their qualification into the 1995 World Cup and more regularity in international fixtures. Their first World Cup saw the South Africans seeded into the toughest group of the competition containing Australia, England and Fiji. The South Africans found their three group matches extremely difficult and failed to win a match during the tournament.
The following years saw the South Africans play on an inconsistent basis against several touring sides and qualify for their second consecutive World Cup in 2000. Leading into the tournament they were hopeful of gaining their first Cup win after being drawn into an easier yet still competitive group with France, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. After initial optimism leading into the competition the South Africans faced Tonga in their first world cup fixture and be comprehensively beaten 66–18. The following world cup matches added further disappointment and diminish all optimism the South Africans originally had with further heavy losses to both Papua New Guinea and the French.
After a second disappointing World Cup the side again began playing irregularly with one off fixtures over the next several years and it was not until 2006 when they again undertook another tour. A tour to Italy was undertaken in June 2006, which saw the South Africans play in two tests and a nines competition in Montelanico.
In 2008, the South Africa Rhinos were scheduled to participate in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers in the Atlantic pool also featuring the USA, Japan and the West Indies. The winner of the tournament entered into the repecharge round for the chance to qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. South Africa withdrew alongside the West Indies due to financial reasons, leaving the tournament as a one off fixture between the US and Japan. As a result of their withdrawal South Africa forfeited the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup.
In 2011 however, the South Africa national rugby league team participated in the Atlantic Qualification Tournament as part of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers. The winner of the tournament qualified for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup that is to be held in England and Wales. Despite beating Canada 36–22 in a warm-up match before the beginning of the tournament, South Africa nevertheless lost to USA 40–4 in the opening match of the tournament.
In 2015 South Africa were confirmed to take on Lebanon in a one-off 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifier in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However the match was shifted to a two match playoff in Pretoria, South Africa due to a controversial arrest of the leader of UAE rugby league who was in charge of organizing the initial match at the Dubai Sports City complex.

## Competitive Record

* Below is a list of test matches played by the South Africa XIII up until 13 November 2023.
| Country | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win% | For | Aga | Diff |
| Australia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 33 | 174 | –141 |
| Brazil | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 82 | 0 | +82 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 36 | 22 | +14 |
| Cook Islands | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 6 | 66 | –60 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 46 | –46 |
| Fiji | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 6 | 52 | –46 |
| France | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 23 | 86 | –63 |
| Great Britain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 86 | 133 | –47 |
| Italy | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50% | 164 | 94 | +70 |
| Jamaica | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 6 | 20 | –16 |
| Kenya | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 138 | 14 | +124 |
| Lebanon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 28 | 90 | –62 |
| Malta | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 30 | 24 | +6 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Niue | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 26 | 142 | –116 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 16 | –16 |
| Philippines | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 104 | 42 | +62 |
| Poland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 38 | 16 | +22 |
| Russia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 45 | 52 | –7 |
| Tonga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 18 | 66 | –48 |
| United States | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 4 | 40 | –36 |
| Wales | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 12 | 40 | –28 |
| West Indies | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | 22 | 50 | –28 |
| Total | 37 | 11 | 0 | 26 | 29.73% | 911 | 1288 | –377 |

### Results

Source: Matches marked with a † are not full internationals test match and thus do not count towards international statistics and ranking points. Common reasons for games not classifying as test matches are because the opponent is not a member of the IRL or is not the senior first team of a member nation, or the game was played with modified rules.
| Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Competition | Venue | Attendance |
| 23 August 1962 | South Africa | 30–49 | Great Britain | 1962 Great Britain Lions tour | Pretoria | Unknown |
| 25 August 1962 | South Africa | 33–39 | Great Britain | 1962 Great Britain Lions tour | Durban | Unknown |
| 31 August 1962 | South Africa | 23–45 | Great Britain | 1962 Great Britain Lions tour | Johannesburg | Unknown |
| 7 July 1963 | Northern Division | 20–10 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Tamworth | Unknown |
| 10 July 1963 | Monaro | 2–41 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Canberra | Unknown |
| 13 July 1963 | Sydney | 49–5 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Sydney | Unknown |
| 16 July 1963 | Queensland | 32–18 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Brisbane | Unknown |
| 20 July 1963 | Australia | 34–6 | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Lang Park, Brisbane | 10,210 |
| 24 July 1963 | South Queensland | 30–21 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Brisbane | Unknown |
| 27 July 1963 | Australia | 54–21 | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 16,995 |
| 28 July 1963 | Newcastle | 27–17 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Newcastle | Unknown |
| 30 July 1963 | Parramatta Eels | 39–18 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Sydney | Unknown |
| 1 August 1963 | Wellington | 12–21 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Wellington | Unknown |
| 3 August 1963 | South Island | 12–8 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Christchurch | Unknown |
| 7 August 1963 | Auckland | 10–4 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Auckland | Unknown |
| 10 August 1963 | New Zealand | 3–4 † | South Africa | 1963 South Africa Rhinos tour | Carlaw Park, Auckland | Unknown |
| Rugby league banned in South Africa |
| 13 November 1992 | South Africa | 26–30 | Commonwealth of Independent States | 1992 CIS tour of South Africa | Johannesburg | Unknown |
| 20 November 1992 | South Africa | 19–22 | Commonwealth of Independent States | 1992 CIS tour of South Africa | Pretoria | Unknown |
| 8 October 1995 | Fiji | 52–6 | South Africa | 1995 World Cup | Cougar Park, Keighley | 4,845 |
| 10 October 1995 | Australia | 86–6 | South Africa | 1995 World Cup | Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead | 9,181 |
| 14 October 1995 | England | 46–0 | South Africa | 1995 World Cup | Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds | 14,041 |
| 6 December 1997 | France | 30–17 | South Africa | Friendly | Arles | Unknown |
| 19 October 2000 | South Africa | 12–40 | Wales | Friendly | Pretoria | Unknown |
| 28 October 2000 | Tonga | 66–18 | South Africa | 2000 World Cup | Stade Sébastien Charléty, Paris | 7,498 |
| 2 November 2000 | Papua New Guinea | 16–0 | South Africa | 2000 World Cup | Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse | 4,313 |
| 5 November 2000 | France | 56–6 | South Africa | 2000 World Cup | Stadium Municipal d'Albi, Albi | 7,969 |
| 9 October 2004 | South Africa | 22–50 | West Indies | Friendly | London | Unknown |
| 8 June 2006 | Great Britain Amateurs | 34–14 † | South Africa | Friendly | Unknown | Unknown |
| 12 June 2006 | Italy | 6–76 | South Africa | Two-match series friendly | Rome | Unknown |
| 13 June 2006 | Italy | 20–60 | South Africa | Two-match series friendly | Rome | Unknown |
| 9 June 2007 | Great Britain Amateurs | 30–12 † | South Africa | Two-match series friendly | Unknown | Unknown |
| 16 June 2007 | Great Britain Amateurs | 42–10 † | South Africa | Two-match series friendly | Unknown | Unknown |
| 17 October 2008 | Great Britain Amateurs | 42–4 † | South Africa | Friendly | Unknown | Unknown |
| 9 October 2011 | Canada | 36–22 | South Africa | Friendly | Fletcher's Field, Markham, Ontario | 1,005 |
| 15 October 2011 | United States | 40–4 | South Africa | 2013 World Cup: Atlantic Qualifiers | Philadelphia | ~300 |
| 19 October 2011 | Jamaica | 20–6 | South Africa | 2013 World Cup: Atlantic Qualifiers | Philadelphia | Unknown |
| 2 May 2015 | Niue | 48–4 | South Africa | Friendly | Leumeah | Unknown |
| 25 October 2015 | South Africa | 12–40 | Lebanon | 2017 World Cup: Middle East-Africa Qualifiers | Brakpan Stadium, Pretoria | Unknown |
| 31 October 2015 | South Africa | 16–50 | Lebanon | 2017 World Cup: Middle East-Africa Qualifiers | Brakpan Stadium, Pretoria | Unknown |
| 29 October 2016 | South Africa | 22–55 | Niue | Two-match series friendly | Brakpan Stadium, Pretoria | Unknown |
| 11 November 2016 | South Africa | 0–44 | Niue | Two-match series friendly | Brakpan Stadium, Pretoria | Unknown |
| 24 June 2018 | South Africa | 30–24 | Malta | Friendly | St Mary's Stadium, Sydney | Unknown |
| 12 October 2018 | Italy | 18–8 | South Africa | Friendly | Kellyville Ridge Stadium, Sydney | Unknown |
| 21 June 2019 | Cook Islands | 66–6 | South Africa | 2021 World Cup: Inter-regional Qualifiers | Wentworthville Ringrose park, NSW | 78 |
| 5 June 2022 | Brazil | 0–82 | South Africa | Friendly | Sunshine Coast Stadium, Noosa | Unknown |
| 26 November 2022 | Poland | 16–38 | South Africa | Friendly | Southport Tigers, Queensland | Unknown |
| 22 July 2023 | Philippines | 14–72 | South Africa | Friendly | Skilled Park, Gold Coast, Queensland | Unknown |
| 28 October 2023 | Italy | 50–20 | South Africa | Friendly | Lidcombe Oval, Sydney | Unknown |
| 8 November 2023 | South Africa | 56–12 | Kenya | Two-match series friendly | Grizzlies Stadium, Pretoria | Unknown |
| 11 November 2023 | South Africa | 82–2 | Kenya | Two-match series friendly | Grizzlies Stadium, Pretoria | Unknown |
| 4 December 2024 | South Africa | 18–38 | United States | Two-match series friendly | Quins-Bobbies Rugby Club, Pretoria | |
| 7 December 2024 | South Africa | 32–44 | United States | Two-match series friendly | Grizzlies Stadium, Pretoria | |

## IRL Rankings

IRL Men's World Rankingsvte :
| Official rankings as of December 2024 ||||
| Rank | Change | Team | Pts % |
| 1 | | Australia | 100 |
| 2 | | New Zealand | 86 |
| 3 | | England | 84 |
| 4 | 1 | Tonga | 63 |
| 5 | 1 | Samoa | 54 |
| 6 | 1 | Papua New Guinea | 53 |
| 7 | 1 | Fiji | 44 |
| 8 | | France | 30 |
| 9 | 2 | Serbia | 23 |
| 10 | | Cook Islands | 22 |
| 11 | 1 | Netherlands | 22 |
| 12 | 5 | Wales | 18 |
| 13 | 2 | Malta | 17 |
| 14 | 6 | Ukraine | 13 |
| 15 | 1 | Greece | 12 |
| 16 | 7 | Lebanon | 12 |
| 17 | 4 | Italy | 11 |
| 18 | 2 | Ireland | 9 |
| 19 | 1 | Jamaica | 8 |
| 20 | 1 | Czech Republic | 8 |
| 21 | 2 | Chile | 8 |
| 22 | 3 | Scotland | 7 |
| 23 | 4 | Philippines | 7 |
| 24 | 7 | United States | 7 |
| 25 | 1 | Poland | 5 |
| 26 | 2 | South Africa | 5 |
| 27 | 5 | Germany | 5 |
| 28 | 3 | Norway | 5 |
| 29 | 4 | Brazil | 4 |
| 30 | 4 | Kenya | 4 |
| 31 | 10 | Canada | 4 |
| 32 | | Montenegro | 4 |
| 33 | 2 | North Macedonia | 3 |
| 34 | 15 | Argentina | 3 |
| 35 | 5 | Albania | 2 |
| 36 | | Bulgaria | 2 |
| 37 | 7 | Ghana | 2 |
| 38 | 9 | Nigeria | 2 |
| 39 | 5 | Turkey | 1 |
| 40 | 3 | Cameroon | 1 |
| 41 | 2 | Japan | 1 |
| 42 | 4 | Spain | 1 |
| 43 | 1 | Colombia | 1 |
| 44 | 1 | El Salvador | 0 |
| 45 | | Russia | 0 |
| 46 | 1 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 |
| 47 | 3 | Hong Kong | 0 |
| 48 | 3 | Solomon Islands | 0 |
| 49 | 8 | Vanuatu | 0 |
| 50 | | Niue | 0 |
| 51 | 1 | Latvia | 0 |
| 52 | 2 | Denmark | 0 |
| 53 | 2 | Belgium | 0 |
| 54 | 4 | Estonia | 0 |
| 55 | 9 | Sweden | 0 |
| 56 | 12 | Morocco | 0 |
| 57 | 9 | Hungary | 0 |
| Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT ||||