▁ ▁The ▁current ▁co aching ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁national ▁team ▁was ▁revealed ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 : ▁ ▁Form er ▁coach es ▁The ▁role ▁and ▁definition ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Africa ▁coach ▁has ▁varied ▁significantly ▁over ▁the ▁team ' s ▁history . ▁Hence ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁list ▁of ▁coach es , ▁or ▁head ▁select ors , ▁is ▁impossible . ▁The ▁following ▁table ▁is ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁coach es ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁All ▁Black s ▁tour ▁to ▁South ▁Africa . ▁Both ▁World ▁Cup - win ning ▁coach es , ▁Christ ie ▁and ▁White , ▁were ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁IR B ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁alongside ▁all ▁other ▁World ▁Cup - win ning ▁head ▁coach es ▁through ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁edition . ▁ ▁T ours ▁ ▁Trad itionally , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁test ▁matches ▁( and ▁all ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 7 ) ▁against ▁other ▁countries ▁happened ▁during ▁t ours . ▁The ▁first ▁team ▁to ▁visit ▁South ▁Africa ▁were ▁the ▁British ▁L ions ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁The ▁first ▁Spring b ok ▁over se as ▁tour ▁was ▁arranged ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 – 0 7 ▁to ▁Europe . ▁ ▁In ▁popular ▁culture ▁ ▁The ▁combined ▁explo its ▁of ▁Mand ela ▁and ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁in ▁helping ▁un ify ▁the ▁country ▁through ▁rugby ▁union ▁was ▁later ▁chron ic led ▁in ▁John ▁Car lin ' s ▁book ▁Play ing ▁the