The greatest Bok achievement in New Zealand remains that of the "giant-killers", the famous Boks of 1937.
For, after a century of combat between the two countries, they remain the only Bok team to win a full test series on New Zealand soil.
Someone who knows what it feels like to beat the All Blacks is former Bok, Derek van den Berg, now a doctor in Somerset West. And his father knew too - playing lock forward in that legendary 1937 side.
"It's the ultimate international, isn't it - South Africa versus the All Blacks," he said this week.
Early in the 1930s his father, Mauritz, used to sell ice cream at Newlands stadium. He was already 21, but took a long look at the game of rugby and thought he might try his hand at it. He played for Western Province five years later. And two years on he was in the 1937 Bok team that toured Australia and New Zealand.
Almost 40 years later, his son put on the green and gold too. He faced the All Blacks of 1976 in Durban and tasted victory, as his father had.
"I always thought it was special that my father played against them - and that I did too," Van den Berg said.
"The 1937 Boks were considered giant-killers," Van den Berg said. The captain was Philip Nel, the vice-captain Danie Craven, Louis Babrow was the star centre and Gerry Brand did the pinpoint kicking.
"They needed to win the last test to win the series. But the team had no coach. So they telegrammed home to ask for a strategy. And the reply carried just three words: 'Scrum, scrum, scrum'. That they did - and won.
"When they sailed back into Durban weeks later there were tens of thousands of people in the harbour to greet them."
Van den Berg junior played front-row prop in his day. So, did he have to play the role of tough guy?
"No, but I think my father was the ultimate 'enforcer', if ever there was one. Some of what we'd consider dirty play today was acceptable back then. They were a really tough bunch."
Mauritz van den Berg became famous for asking a referee at Newlands to stop the game. He then walked up to a fan on the sideline who had been badmouthing him, hit him, then strolled back onto the field and gave the ref the go-ahead for the game to continue.