Springboks captain Siya Kolisi
Springboks captain, Siya Kolisi. Photo: SARugby

Home » List of every Springbok captain in history

List of every Springbok captain in history

H.H. Castens was captain for the Springboks on 30 July 1891 in their first ever Test against the touring British Isles team at Crusaders Cricket Ground in Port Elizabeth. ALSO READ | Change in venue for U18 Craven Week Felix and Morné du Plessis are the only father-son combination to have captained South Africa. John Smit […]

By Garrin Lambley
21-06-23 12:45
in Fab South African Stuff
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi
Springboks captain, Siya Kolisi. Photo: SARugby

H.H. Castens was captain for the Springboks on 30 July 1891 in their first ever Test against the touring British Isles team at Crusaders Cricket Ground in Port Elizabeth.

ALSO READ | Change in venue for U18 Craven Week

Felix and Morné du Plessis are the only father-son combination to have captained South Africa.

John Smit holds the record as the most capped Springbok captain in history having wore the captain’s armband on 83 occasions.

MUST READ | Could new-look Springboks team look like this for first 2023 Test?

Below, a list of the 64 players to have captained the Springboks in a Test match. Captains are listed in chronological order of their first match as captain.

ALSO READ | Derick Hougaard update: ‘Small improvement’ seen

Under number, player, Tests as captain

Correct as at 20 June 2023

1 Herbert Castens 1
2 Bob Snedden 1
3 Alf Richards 1
4 Ferdie Aston 3
5 Fairy Heatlie 2
6 Alex Frew 1
7 Jackie Powell 1
8 Paddy Carolin 1
9 Paul Roos 3
10 Dougie Morkel 2
11 Billy Millar 5
12 Uncle Dobbin 1
13 Theo Pienaar —
14 Boy Morkel 3
15 PK Albertyn 4
16 Phil Mostert 4
17 Bennie Osler 5
18 Phil Nel 8
19 Danie Craven 4
20 Felix du Plessis 3
21 Basil Kenyon 1
22 Hennie Muller 9
23 Stephen Fry 4
24 Basie Vivier 5
25 Salty du Rand 1
26 Johan Claassen 9
27 Des van Jaarsveldt 1
28 Roy Dryburgh 2
29 Avril Malan 10
30 Abie Malan 4
31 Nelie Smith 4
32 Dawie de Villiers 22
33 Tommy Bedford 3
34 Hannes Marais 11
35 Piet Greyling 1
36 Morné du Plessis 15
37 Theuns Stofberg 4
38 Wynand Claassen 7
39 Divan Serfontein 2
40 Naas Botha 9
41 Jannie Breedt 2
42 Francois Pienaar 29
43 Tiaan Strauss 1
44 Adriaan Richter 1
45 Gary Teichmann 36
46 Corné Krige 18
47 Rassie Erasmus 1
48 Joost van der Westhuizen 10
49 André Vos 16
50 Bob Skinstad 12
51 John Smit 83
52 Victor Matfield 21
53 Johann Muller 1
54 Jean de Villiers 37
55 Schalk Burger 1
56 Fourie du Preez 2
57 Adriaan Strauss 3
58 Warren Whiteley 2
59 Eben Etzebeth 12
60 Pieter-Steph du Toit 1
61 Siya Kolisi 45
62 Duane Vermeulen 2
63 Schalk Brits 2
64 Handré Pollard 1

NOTE: Theo Pienaar was selected as captain for the first ever tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1921, but never played. He is listed as captain number 13 by the South African Rugby Annual, the official yearbook of the South African Rugby Union

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