0 1 9 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁quarter - final s . ▁ ▁Over all ▁ ▁IR B ▁World ▁Rank ing ▁Le aders ▁ ▁Until ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁South ▁Africa ▁were ▁considered ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁rugby ▁nation ▁in ▁Test ▁match ▁history , ▁with ▁a ▁positive ▁win - loss ▁ratio ▁against ▁every ▁Test ▁playing ▁nation ▁including ▁their ▁traditional ▁riv als , ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁Since ▁that ▁time , ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁have ▁lost ▁their ▁winning ▁record ▁against ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁All ▁Black s . ▁South ▁Africa ▁are ▁currently ▁ranked ▁number ▁ 1 ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁rank ings ▁( as ▁of ▁ 2 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 9 ). ▁When ▁the ▁ranking ▁system ▁was ▁introduced ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁South ▁Africa ▁were ▁ranked ▁sixth . ▁Their ▁ranking ▁fl uct u ated ▁until ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁briefly ▁sent ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁rank ings . ▁ ▁Below ▁is ▁test ▁matches ▁played ▁by ▁South ▁Africa ▁up ▁until ▁ 2 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁Only ▁fi xt ures ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁test ▁matches ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Rugby ▁Union ▁are ▁listed . ▁ ▁Head ▁to ▁Head ▁result ▁▁ ± ▁The ▁Cav ali ers ▁was ▁the ▁name ▁given ▁to ▁an ▁uno fficial ▁( re bel ) ▁New ▁Zealand ▁team ▁that ▁tou red ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Rugby ▁Union ▁did ▁not ▁san ction ▁the ▁team ▁and ▁do ▁not ▁recogn ise ▁the