Sport in South Africa

South Africans have a passionate following, although they remain largely divided along ethnic lines. Soccer, Cricket and Rugby are the most popular sports.

Rugby Union has traditionally been the most popular sport in South Africa amongst White South Africans. The national rugby team is nicknamed The Springboks. South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the first one hosted in Africa.

Cricket is traditionally the popular sport among the white British diaspora and Indian South African communities, although it is now followed by members of all races. The national cricket team is nicknamed The Proteas.

Soccer has historically been particularly popular amongst persons of African descent and is South Africa's most popular sport. The South Africa national soccer team, Bafana Bafana, has not enjoyed considerable success since the early 20th Century.

Other popular sports include: boxing, hockey, tennis, golf, surfing, netball, running and also obstacle course racing.

South Africa was absent from international sport for most of the apartheid era due to sanctions, but started competing globally after the end of apartheid.

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