▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁South ▁Africa ▁suffered ▁their ▁first ▁World ▁Cup ▁loss ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁defeated ▁ 2 1 – 2 7 ▁by ▁Australia ▁in ▁their ▁semi - final ; ▁they ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁defeat ▁the ▁All ▁Black s ▁ 2 2 – 1 8 ▁in ▁the ▁third - four th ▁play - off ▁match . ▁The ▁worst ▁ever ▁South ▁African ▁performance ▁at ▁a ▁World ▁Cup ▁was ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁when ▁they ▁lost ▁a ▁pool ▁game ▁to ▁England , ▁and ▁then ▁were ▁knock ed ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁tournament ▁by ▁the ▁All ▁Black s ▁in ▁their ▁quarter - final . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁defeated ▁F iji ▁in ▁the ▁quarter - final s ▁and ▁Argentina ▁in ▁the ▁semi - final s . ▁They ▁then ▁defeated ▁England ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁ 1 5 – 6 ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁tournament ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁time . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁Australia ▁ 9 – 1 1 ▁in ▁the ▁quarter - final s ▁after ▁winning ▁all ▁four ▁of ▁their ▁pool ▁games . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁World ▁Cup , ▁South ▁Africa ▁suffered ▁a ▁ 3 2 – 3 4 ▁loss ▁to ▁Japan ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁pool ▁match ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁September . ▁BBC ▁reported ▁the ▁game ▁as ▁arg u ably ▁the ▁biggest ▁ups et ▁in ▁rugby ▁union ▁history . ▁However , ▁South ▁Africa ▁defeated ▁Japan ▁ 2 6 – 3 ▁in ▁the ▁ 2