9 7 . ▁Christ ie ▁res igned ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁due ▁to ▁le uka emia . ▁South ▁Africa ▁strugg led ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁Tri - N ations ▁competition , ▁the ▁All ▁Black s ▁won ▁a ▁test ▁series ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁the ▁L ions ▁won ▁their ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁South ▁African ▁tour ▁test ▁series ▁two ▁games ▁to ▁one . ▁Co ach ▁Andre ▁Mark gra aff ▁was ▁fired ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁over ▁a ▁rac ist ▁comment ▁he ▁made . ▁The ▁team ▁suffered ▁success ive ▁defe ats ▁in ▁the ▁L ions ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁tour ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Tri ▁Nations ▁Series . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁coach ▁Nick ▁M alle tt ▁co ached ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁un be aten ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁tour ▁of ▁Europe , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁the ▁B oks ▁tied ▁the ▁then - ex isting ▁record ▁for ▁longest ▁test ▁winning ▁stre ak , ▁winning ▁ 1 7 ▁consecutive ▁tests , ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Tri - N ations . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁reached ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁of ▁the ▁competition , ▁where ▁they ▁lost ▁to ▁event ual ▁champions ▁. ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁seasons , ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁lost