<P> South Africa play in green jerseys with a gold collar and trim, white shorts and green socks . The jersey is embroidered with the SA Rugby logo on the wearer's left chest and the springbok logo on the right chest . Japanese company ASICS is the kit provider for all the South Africa rugby teams, through and agreement signed with the SARU until 2019 . South Africa's shirt sponsor is local mobile phone provider MTN Group . Additional uniform sponsors are FNB on the back above the numbers, and Land Rover, FlySafair, and Southern Palace rotating on the rear hems of the shorts . </P> <P> Historically, the green jersey was first adopted when the British Isles toured South Africa in 1896 . On their first tour to Great Britain and Ireland in 1906--07 South Africa wore a green jersey with white collar, blue shorts, and blue socks taken from the Diocesan College rugby kit at the time . A replica shirt was worn in 2006 against Ireland in Dublin to mark the centenary of the tour . When Australia first toured South Africa in 1933, the visitors wore sky blue jerseys to avoid confusion, as at the time, both wore dark green jerseys . In 1953, when Australia toured again, the Springboks wore white jerseys for the test matches . In 1961 Australia changed their jersey to gold to avoid further colour clashes. 2017 saw the Springboks wear a red change jersey at Argentina as part of an Asics promotion where the Springboks and Blitzboks wore jerseys in all the colours of the South African flag during the course of the season--the main side wore green, white, and red shirts, while the sevens team turned out in gold, blue and black uniforms . </P> <P> The Springbok nickname and logo also dates from the 1906--7 tour of Britain . The springbok was chosen to represent the team by tour captain Paul Roos in an attempt to prevent the British press from inventing their own name . The logo was not restricted to the white team alone--the first coloured national team used the springbok in 1939 and the first black team in 1950 . After the fall of apartheid in 1992 a wreath of proteas was added to the logo . When the ANC was elected in 1994 the team's name was not changed to the Proteas, like that of the South African Cricket team, due in part to the intervention of then - President Nelson Mandela . </P> <P> In December 2008, the SARU decided to place the protea on the left side of the Boks' jersey, in line with other South African national teams, and move the springbok to the right side of the jersey . The new jersey was worn for the first time during the British and Irish Lions' 2009 tour of South Africa . </P>

Why is south african rugby team called springboks
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