oks ▁or ▁B ok ke , ▁and ▁Am ab ok ob oko ) ▁is ▁the ▁country ' s ▁national ▁team ▁govern ed ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Rugby ▁Union . ▁The ▁Spring b oks ▁play ▁in ▁green ▁and ▁gold ▁j er se ys ▁with ▁white ▁short s , ▁and ▁their ▁em blem ▁is ▁the ▁native ▁ant el ope ▁spring b ok . ▁The ▁team ▁has ▁been ▁representing ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁international ▁rugby ▁union ▁since ▁ 3 0 ▁July ▁ 1 8 9 1 , ▁when ▁they ▁played ▁their ▁first ▁test ▁match ▁against ▁a ▁British ▁Is les ▁tour ing ▁team . ▁ ▁Although ▁South ▁Africa ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁competition , ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁did ▁not ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁World ▁Cu ps ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁because ▁of ▁international ▁anti - ap art heid ▁sport ing ▁boy cot ts . ▁The ▁team ▁made ▁its ▁World ▁Cup ▁debut ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁when ▁the ▁newly ▁dem ocr atic ▁South ▁Africa ▁hosted ▁the ▁tournament . ▁The ▁Spring b oks ▁defeated ▁the ▁All ▁Black s ▁ 1 5 – 1 2 ▁in ▁the ▁final , ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁remembered ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁moments ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁sport ing ▁history , ▁and ▁a ▁waters hed ▁moment ▁in ▁the ▁post - A part heid ▁nation - building ▁process . ▁South ▁Africa ▁reg ained ▁the ▁title ▁as ▁champions ▁ 1 2 ▁years ▁later , ▁when