The double World Champion Springboks are on another dominant run. With three convincing victories to kick off the current international window, Rassie Erasmus’ men are rapidly closing in on South Africa’s all-time record for consecutive Test victories.
To find the last time the Boks suffered a defeat, you have to look back to early September of last year against New Zealand in Auckland. Since then, South Africa closed out last year with eight straight wins and has extended that momentum to reach an 11-match winning streak.
Chasing Nick Mallett’s Legendary 17-Match Record
While an upcoming clash against Argentina on 8 August in Buenos Aires serves as the next hurdle, the ultimate test arrives with the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour against the All Blacks.
If the Springboks remain undefeated through the New Zealand series, they will be within striking distance of the longest winning streak in South African rugby history:
- The Record: 17 consecutive Test victories, set between 23 August 1997 and 28 November 1998 under head coach Nick Mallett.
- The Feat: Mallett’s Boks stormed through an undefeated 1998 Tri-Nations campaign and back-to-back European tours, defeating Australia, New Zealand, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
- How It Ended: The legendary streak was halted on 5 December 1998 by England at Twickenham (13–7).
What is the Global Tier-One Record?
Should the Springboks sweep their remaining schedule—which includes fixtures against Australia, Italy, France, and Ireland—they could challenge the overall Tier-One world record:
| Rank / Team | Consecutive Test Wins | Era / Timeline |
| Cyprus (All Tiers) | 24 | Nov 2008 – Nov 2014 |
| New Zealand (Tier 1) | 18 | Aug 2015 – Oct 2016 |
| England (Tier 1) | 18 | Oct 2015 – Mar 2017 |
| South Africa (National Record) | 17 | Aug 1997 – Nov 1998 |
| Current Springboks | 11 | Sep 2025 – Present |
