The first rugby match in South Africa took place between a military and civilian team at the Green Point common in Cape Town on 23 August 1862.
Hamilton Rugby Football Club was then formed and Villagers Football Club followed suit. As the sport’s popularity grew, the Rugby Union Board was formed.
South Africa was however banned from international sport due to the country’s political hostility and couldn’t participate in international matches until sanctions were lifted in 1992.
South Africa is now a powerhouse in world rugby with the sport being one of the three most loved sports in the country (alongside football and cricket).
The national team, the Springboks, have since won two rugby world cups, in 1995 and 2007 respectively.
The first football matches in the country were also documented to have taken place in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth at around the same time that rugby was established in the country.
Source: South African History Online
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