The Springboks will no longer play with Gilbert rugby balls in home Test matches.
SA Rugby has signed a seven-year deal with Rhino which will see its elite-level match balls used for all home Tests for the Springboks and Springbok Women as well as all SA Rugby-run competitions, including the Currie Cup.
The Rhino Vortex Pro is Rhino’s highest-spec rugby ball and will be used by the Springboks in all six of their home Tests this year, including the Rugby Championship.
SA Rugby unveiled Rhino as its new match ball partner on Wednesday, with the world’s No 1 rugby training equipment supplier coming on board after signing a seven-year partnership to provide match balls at international level for the Springbok men and women’s teams, as well as for all domestic competitions.

This is what the Rhino SA Rugby and the Springboks’ new match ball looks like Photo’s: SA Rugby
Rhino are one of the biggest names in rugby, having supported the British & Irish Lions for the past four tours with contact and training equipment, three of which also saw them provide training balls.
“Choosing a match ball partner is a major decision for every rugby union, but Rhino’s product, coupled with their extensive history in elite-level rugby made them an exciting new partner for South African rugby,” said Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby.
“As rugby is in the very DNA of Rhino, we’re looking forward to seeing Rhino match balls in action, not only at Test level with our Springbok men and women’s teams, but also in all of our local competitions.
“We’re really excited about what the next seven years are going to bring through this new partnership.”
In recent years, Rhino has established itself as one of the leading match ball brands, as the official match ball of Asia Rugby and Rugby Europe, accounting for over 80 rugby playing nations.
Rhino balls have also been used at the highest level in club rugby across the world, previously being official match ball for the Pro12 (now Vodacom URC), Major League Rugby in the USA, and Superliga Americana de Rugby in South America.
The Rhino Vortex Pro is Rhino’s highest-spec rugby ball and will be used by the Springboks in all six their home Tests next year, including the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
Tested by clubs and universities, including at such famed British rugby institutions as Loughborough University, Hartpury University and University of Exeter, it was launched in 2024.
Rhino is the official training equipment partner for the British & Irish Lions, the Welsh Rugby Union, the French Rugby Federation, and scrum partner of England Rugby.
In South Africa, Rhino is also training equipment supplier to both the Emirates Lions and the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
Rhino’s seven-year partnership begins on Wednesday, 1 January 2025.