1912–13 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe

In 1912-13 the South Africa national rugby union team toured England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, playing a series of test matches, as well as games against club, regional, and representative teams. South Africa accomplished their first Grand Slam by winning all four tests against the Home Nations sides, and also won the test match against France. This was the second South African tour of the Northern Hemisphere, after the very successful 1906 tour.

1912–13 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe
ManagerMax Honnet
Tour captain(s)William Millar
Summary
P W D L
Total
27 24 00 03
Test match
05 05 00 00
Opponent
P W D L
 Scotland
1 1 0 0
 Ireland
1 1 0 0
 England
1 1 0 0
 Wales
1 1 0 0
 France
1 1 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour1906–07 Europe
Next tour1921 Aus & NZ

Although not managing to win all the matches on the tour, the Springboks won all five test matches against international opposition. Billy Millar was the tour captain even though he was the last person chosen for the tour and was not the selectors' choice of captain, but they were over-ruled by the South African Rugby Board.[1] Millar did have the advantage of being one of the few players to have toured Britain in the previous test, but was seen by the hosts as a fiery character and was not as popular with the players or fans as the 1906's tour captain, Paul Roos.[2] The other two members of the squad to have played in the 1906 tour were vice-captain Fred 'Uncle' Dobbin and Doug Morkel.

In the touring party were two sets of brothers; Richard, Freddie and John Luyt and Gerhard and Jack Morkel.[2]

Touring party

Match summary

Complete list of matches played by the Springboks in Europe:[3]

  Test matches

Captain Douglas Morkel holding the ball, besides him, G. Thompson (left) and S.N. Croje, entering the pitch to play Cornwall in Redruth
England and South Africa teams posing together for their Test match at Twickenham, 4 Jan 1913
# Date Opponents City Venue Score
1 1912 Somerset RU Bath 24–3
2 1912 Devon RU Exeter 8–0
3 10 Oct 1912 Cornwall Redruth 15–6
4 12 Oct 1912 Monmouthshire Pontypool Recreation Ground 16–0
5 17 Oct 1912 Glamorgan Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park 35–3
6 19 Oct 1912 Llanelli RFC Llanelli Stradey Park 8–7
7 24 Oct 1912 Newport RFC Newport Rodney Parade 3–9
8 1912 London Blackheath 12–8
9 1912 United Services Portsmouth 18–16
10 1912 East Midlands Northampton 14–5
11 6 Nov 1912 Oxford University RFC Oxford 6–0
12 1912 Midland Counties Leicester 25–3
13 1912 Cambridge University Cambridge 24–0
14 1912 London Blackheath 8–10
15 1912 North of England Newcastle 17–0
16 23 Nov 1912  Scotland Inverleith 16–0
17 1912 West of Scotland Glasgow 38–3
18 30 Nov 1912  Ireland Dublin Lansdowne Road 38–0
19 1912 Ulster Belfast 19–0
20 1912 North of England Birkenhead Birkenhead Park 21–8
21 14 Dec 1912  Wales Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park 3–0
22 19 Dec 1912 Neath RFC Neath The Gnoll 8–3
23 21 Dec 1912 Cardiff RFC Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park 7–6
24 26 Dec 1912 Swansea RFC Swansea St Helen's Ground 0–3
25 1912 Gloucestershire RU Bristol 11–0
26 4 Jan 1913  England London Twickenham Stadium 9–3
27 11 Jan 1913  France Bordeaux Le Bouscat Stadium 38–5
Balance
Pl W D L Ps Pc
272403441101

Match details

Monmouthshire

12 October
Monmouthshire 0–16 South Africa
Try: Mills (2)
F Luyt
van Vuuren
Con:Wrentmore (2)
Recreation Ground, Pontypool
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: TD Schofield (Bridgend, Wales)

Glamorgan

17 October
Glamorgan RFC 3–35 South Africa
Try: B Lewis
Try: Stegmann (4), Mills, D Luyt,
F Luyt, van Vuuren
Con: F Luyt
Pen: D Morkel
Drop: D Luyt
Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: AO Jones (Leicester, England)

Llanelli

19 October
Llanelli RFC 7–8 South Africa
Try: J Evans
Drop: Hiams
Try: van der Hoff, J Morkel
Con: J Morkel
Stradey Park, Llanelli
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Gil Evans (Birmingham, England)

Newport

24 October
Newport RFC 9–3 South Africa
Try: Birt
Con:Birt
drop: Birt
Try: D Morkel
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 18,300
Referee: F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England)

Scotland

23 November
Scotland  0–16  South Africa
Try: Stegmann (2), McHardy, W H Morkel
Con: D Morkel, G Morkel
Inverleith, Edinburgh
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England)

Ireland

30 November
Ireland  0–38  South Africa
Try: Stegmann (3), McHardy (3), J Morkel (2),
Francis, Millar
Con: G Morkel (3), JD Luyt
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: John Dallas (1st half)[4]
Fred Gardiner (2nd half)
F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England) [sick]

Wales

14 December
Wales  0–3  South Africa
Pen: D Morkel
Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England)

Neath

19 December
Neath RFC 3–8 South Africa
Try: Richards Try: Van der Hoff
W Morkel
Con: D Morkel
The Gnoll, Neath
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: R.G. Smith (Bristol, England)

Cardiff

21 December
Cardiff RFC 6–7 South Africa
Try: Spiller
Pen: Rogers
Pen: D Morkel
Drop: J Morkel
Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: J.H. Miles (Leicester, England)

Swansea

26 December
Swansea RFC 3–0 South Africa
Try: Thomas
St. Helen's, Swansea
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: James Greenlees (Scotland)

England

4 January
England  3–9  South Africa
Try: Poulton
Try: J Morkel
Pen: D Morkel (2)
Twickenham, London
Attendance: 29,000
Referee: John Tulloch (Scotland)

France

11 January
France  5–35  South Africa
Try: Bruneau
Con: André
Try: Francis, Ledger, R Luyt,
McHardy (2), D Morkel (2), J Morkel,
W Morkel
Con: D Morkel (2), J Morkel (2)
Pen: D Morkel
Le Bouscat, Gironde
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: W. Williams (England)

Bibliography

  • Billot, John (1974). Springboks in Wales. Ferndale, Glamorgan: Ron Jones Publications.

References

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