Who are the most succesful Springbok coaches?
Who are the most succesful Springbok coaches?

Which Springbok coach has the highest strike-rate in Test matches? Four coaches have paved the way for South Africa to win the Rugby World Cup.
During their relatively brief tenures as head coach of the Springboks, two coaches were able to keep their spotless records.
The most succesful Springbok coaches
Felix Du Plessis coached the Springboks for one match in 1964 in an age where the very notion of coaching was anathema to some in the rugby union community.
In 1994, Kitch Christie was handed his Rugby World Cup brief following Ian McIntosh’s catastrophic tour of New Zealand, during which the Springboks failed to win a Test match. Christie skillfully carried out that directive, assembling his Rugby World Cup squad around a core group of familiar Lions players, centered on Francois Pienaar.
With a respectable 69% win-rate at the end of his Springbok career, Jacques Nienaber is positioned between Nick Mallet (71%) and Jake White (66%) in terms of his total rule. Mallet’s impact in modernizing Springbok rugby is indisputable, although his rule is sometimes underestimated because it seemed to peter off horribly.
Rassie Erasmus will be the first man in the modern era of the game to return for a second stint as head coach in 2024. His first stint saw the Springboks maintain a 65% win-rate in Test matches.
Springbok coach win-rates
Name | Years | Tests | Won | Drew | Lost | win percent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Felix du Plessis | 1964 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Kitch Christie | 1994–1995 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Cecil Moss | 1982–1989 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 83% |
Nelie Smith | 1980–1981 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 80% |
Izak Van Heerden | 1962 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75% |
Ian Kirkpatrick | 1967, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 75% |
Danie Craven | 1949–1956 | 23 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 73% |
Nick Mallett | 1997–2000 | 38 | 27 | 0 | 11 | 71% |
Jacques Nienaber | 2020–2023 | 39 | 27 | 0 | 12 | 69% |
Boy Louw | 1960, 1961, 1965 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 67% |
Jake White | 2004–2007 | 54 | 36 | 1 | 17 | 66% |
Heyneke Meyer | 2012–2015 | 48 | 32 | 2 | 14 | 66% |
Rassie Erasmus | 2018–2019 | 26 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 65% |
Johan Claassen | 1964, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 62% |
Peter de Villiers | 2008–2011 | 48 | 30 | 0 | 18 | 62% |
Andre Markgraaff | 1996 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 61% |
Harry Viljoen | 2000–2001 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 53% |
Rudolf Straeuli | 2002–2003 | 23 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 52% |
Avril Malan | 1969–1970 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50% |
Hennie Muller | 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 44% |
Allister Coetzee | 2016–2017 | 25 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 44% |
Carel du Plessis | 1997 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 37% |
Ian McIntosh | 1993–1994 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 33% |
John Williams | 1992 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 20% |
Basil Kenyon | 1958 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0% |
What Nienaber meant to the Boks
Siya Kolisi has lauded the impact of Nienaber on his own career and the path of the Springboks.
“I was eighteen years old. After signing a deal with the Cheetahs, I was granted permission to travel to Western Province. That’s how I got to know Jacques,” Kolisi said. “He used to visit the Western Province Academy with coach Rassie. That’s where our group’s foundation [started].
“When Jacques arrived, it was a full contact situation where you had to introduce yourself. It was intense every time they arrived. He became my senior coach when I got to know him, and I adore him for his ability to see things beyond just what is happening on the field. He learned about my background, my family, and my motivations.
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When describing Jacques Nienaber’s demeanor, Kolisi said, “He speaks to us with human courtesy.”
We are all aware that they do not advocate for us to take on difficult tasks. I can go out and give it my all on the field because he cares about Siya from the township and knows my kids by name. He also asks me how I’m doing personally. He shares the stories of each player’s journey with the squad, particularly during significant occasions.
“It is so special to be known as a person not just as an object or a rugby player. That’s what he offers to this team. And the fact that he permits families to be around, how much he loves to see our kids running around. Although I am aware that some teams are not permitted to have families, he fosters that atmosphere of family.
“I have enjoyed every single year that I’ve worked with him. The rough times too, when he arrives and calls me out. He is trustworthy at all times. How much I have enjoyed it is beyond words.
“He and Rassie Erasmus, the coach, adore the nation.” They will be fortunate wherever he goes. His attention to detail really does make life easier. All I have to do to find out what opportunities exist is glance at a screen. In addition to being a unique coach, he is also a unique person, a wonderful husband and parent. I’ll be appreciative forever. When we initially met, I was unable to tackle.