1906–07 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe

Touring party

Management

• Manager: Cecil Carden
• Captain: Paul Roos

Full backs

• Arthur Burmeister (Western Province)
• Steve Joubert (Western Province)
• Arthur Marsberg (Griqualand West)

Three-quarters

• Sydney de Melker (Griqualand West)
• HA de Villiers (Western Province)
• Jack Hirsch (Eastern Province)
• Japie Krige (Western Province)
• Japie le Roux (Western Province)
• Bob Loubser (Western Province)
• Andrew Morkel (Transvaal)
• Anton Stegmann (Western Province)

Half backs

• Harold 'Paddy' Carolin (Western Province)
• Uncle Dobbin (Griqualand West)
• Dirk Jackson (Western Province)

Forwards

• Daniel Brink (Western Province)
• Douglas Brookes (Border)
• Adam Francis Burdett (Western Province)
• William Burger (Border)
• Henry Daneel (Western Province)
• Pietie le Roux (Western Province)
• Dietlof Maré (Western Province)
• Rajah Martheze (Griqualand West)
• William Millar (Western Province)
• Douglas Morkel (Transvaal)
• William Morkel (Transvaal)
• William Allan Neill (Border)
• Klondyke Raaff (Griqualand West)
• Hubert Reid (Transvaal)
• Paul Roos (Western Province)

Match summary

Complete list of matches played by the Springboks in Europe:

Test matches

Match details

Devon

Pen Lillicrapp Stegmann Martheze Con D Morkel (2) Pen D Morkel (2)

Newport

**Con:**D Morkel

Glamorgan

Scotland

Scotland: JG Scoular, KG MacLeod, T Sloan, MW Walter, ABHL Purves, LL Greig capt., P Munro, HG Monteith, IC Geddes, JC MacCallum, David Bedell-Sivright, GM Frew, LM Spiers, WP Scott, WH Thomson

South Africa: AFW Marsberg, AC Stegmann, HA de Villiers, JD Kriege, JA Loubser, HW Carolin capt., FJ Dobbin, WAG Burger, HJ Daneel, DJ Brink, D Brooks, JWE Raaff, AF Burdett, WS Morkel, DS Maré |}

Ireland

Stegmann

Ireland GJ Henebrey, HB Thrift, Bertie Gotto, James Cecil Parke, Basil Maclear, TTH Robinson, ED Caddell, A Tedford, CE Allen capt., Harold Sugars, George Hamlet, M White, G McIldowie, HG Wilson, JJ Coffey

South Africa: SJ Joubert, AC Stegmann, JH Hirsh, JD Krige, JA Loubser, DC Jackson, HW Carolin, WAG Burger, HJ Daneel, AF Burdett, PJ Roos capt., WC Martheze, DFT Morkel, WS Morkel, PA Le Roux |}

Wales

Raaff

Wales: John Dyke (Penarth), Teddy Morgan (London Welsh), Gwyn Nicholls (Cardiff) capt., Rhys Gabe (Cardiff), Johnnie Williams (Cardiff), Percy Bush (Cardiff), Dicky Owen (Swansea), Will Joseph (Swansea), George Travers, (Pill Harriers), Dai Jones (Treherbert), Arthur Harding (London Welsh), Jack Jenkins (London Welsh), Jack Williams (London Welsh), Charlie Pritchard (Newport), Dick Thomas, (Mountain Ash)

South Africa: AF Marsberg, S Joubert, HA de Villiers, JD Krige, JA Loubser, DC Jackson, FJ Dobbin, P Roos capt., WA Burger, HJ Daneel, PA le Roux, DJ Brink, WC Martheze, JWE Raaff, WS Morkel |}

Before the game hopes were high that the Welsh would be able to see off the South African threat. As one commentator wrote, "There was nothing in the South African's play to forbid Welsh hopes of repeating their success of last season...", harking back to Wales' famous victory over the All Blacks. When a Glamorgan XV team, which contained many Welsh caps that were to face South Africa, could only manage a drew against Gloucester, it caused some people to re-think the team's chances of winning. This caused an outcry for Welsh star, Gwyn Nicholls, to come out of international retirement to face South Africa. Even the South African players' voiced their disappointment at not facing Nicholls on the pitch. When Billy Trew withdrew from the Glamorgan XV against Monmouthshire on 22 November, Nicholls was the surprise replacement, and a few days later Nicholls told the Daily Mirror that he intended to "have a shot at the Springboks"

On the day of the match, South Africa were without some of their star players, including lead try scorer Stegmann, who had suffered a leg strain in the Belfast encounter. However, captain and talisman Paul Roos was back in the squad though sporting a heavy pad on his injured shoulder. The weather on the day was dry and the hard pitch suited the visitors. After an aggressive but blunt opening from the hosts, the South Africans found their pace and quickly took advantage. By half time the tourist were 6–0 ahead with tries from Joubert and Loubser. Gwyn Nicholls had a particularly poor game, wasting a panicked kick from Marsberg in the first half and throughout the game he and Gabe were so tightly marked that they were ineffective. In the second half it was a Nicholls error that handed the Springboks their third try when he caught a high ball safely, only to release it into open play. 'Klondyke' Raaff dribbled the ball away and scored a try that Joubert duly converted. The final result was 11–0 to the visitors; the majority of Welsh crowd were silenced by such a terrible result, though enough good-will was shown to carry captain Roos, and the constantly impressive Marsberg from the pitch.

After the games there were many ramifications for the Welsh team. The papers stated that the weakness shown by the forwards, and too many old players in the pack, were the reasons for the poor Welsh display. The Welsh Rugby Union reacted to the press comments by dropping many of the players from international rugby. Those players that would never again represent their country included, Dai Jones, Will Joseph, Gwyn Nicholls and Jack Williams; just one year after the legendary game against the All Blacks.

England

England: John Birkett, Arnold Alcock, John Jackett, Freddie Brooks, Cecil Shaw, Robert Dibble, William Mills, Harry Shewring, Thomas Simpson, Basil Hill, Vincent Cartwright, Thomas Kelly, John Green, Adrian Stoop, Raphael Jago

South Africa: SJ Joubert, AFW Marsberg, HA de Villiers, SC de Melker, JA Loubser, DC Jackson, FJ Dobbin, WA Millar, HJ Daneel, DJ Brink, PJ Roos capt., JWE Raaff, DFT Morkel, WS Morkel, PA Le Roux |}

Monmouthshire

Daneel Stegmann Con: Mare **Pen:**Joubert **Drop:**Joubert

Llanelli

Raaff Con: D. Morkel (2) Pen: D. Morkel

The Springboks had a magnificent reception from a crowd of 15,000. The South Africans started on an attack, but the Llanelli forwards soon rallied, resulting in a try that placed the Welshmen ahead. For the remainder of the first half the Springboks persistently pressed, eventually succeeding in piercing the Welsh defence, resulting in a converted try.

The Springboks were leading 5 to 3 at the interval. After the start of the second half the Welsh made a determined effort, but the Springboks forwards gained supremacy which they maintained. Towards the end of the game the Springbok scored with a succession of backline movements, resulting in two tries for Loubser. One of these tries was converted and a penalty goal was added, for the 16 to 3 final score.

Cardiff

Williams, Gabe

France

Martheze (2), Hirsch (2), Reid, Raaff France does not include this match in its official records and no caps were awarded.

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Bibliography

References

References

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2. Nauright, John. (1997). "Sport, cultures and identities in South Africa". Leicester Univ. Press.
3. [http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/south_africa.html The History of South African Rugby] on Rugby Football History website ''rugbyfootballhistory.com'', 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
4. (29 January 2008). "Making rugby history". The BBC.
5. Parry-Jones (1999), p. 188.
6. Parry-Jones (1999), p. 180.
7. Parry-Jones (1999), p. 181.
8. Parry-Jones (1999), p. 186.
9. (28 February 1908). "Rugby: The Springboks tour match with Llanelly". Rhodesia Herald.
10. "South Africa tour 1906-07". ESPN.