Springbok XV: One-hit wonders

SPOTLIGHT: Acclaimed @rugby365com writer Paul Dobson takes a look at players who played one Test only for South Africa and names his best XV!

In days of yore there were fewer Test matches than there are now – far fewer. The opportunity to play in Tests were as a result fewer, and in fact, there are many Springboks who did not play Tests at all – played in tour matches but missed out on Tests.

There is a long list of those who played in just one Test, including five captains. South Africa’s very first Test rugby captain, HH Castens played in just one Test. He then refereed just one Test and that was in the same series, a unique record which will never be equalled in rugby football. And then he captained South Africa at cricket.

Being a one-cap Springbok is a great achievement. In fact, one of the five captains, Basil Kenyon, was regarded by Doc Craven as the best Springbok captain ever. He would certainly played in more than one Test had he not damaged an eye at the start of the 1951-52 tour.

There are lots of interesting players amongst the long list of one-cap Springboks

For example, Springbok Jack Immelman never managed to get into a provincial team – one cap for South Africa, none for Western Province.

Jack Harley is the youngest player to play for South Africa. His tombstone at Muizenberg states that he was born on 18 August 1876, which would have made him the youngest ever rugby international in the world, at 15 years and 20 days. The tombstone is clearly incorrect. It seems more likely that he was 17.

Dr Frew came to South Africa to minister to those suffering in concentration camps in the Anglo-Boer War. He stayed on. When he captained South Africa, the opposing captain was Mark Morrison who had captained Scotland when Frew had played for Scotland. His great nephew was the tennis player Frew McMillan.

Hugh Ferris and Jack Gage had played for Ireland.

Jimmy Sinclair played rugby, soccer and cricket for South African. For years he held the record for the fastest Test century by a South African – off 79 balls, against Australia at Newlands. (Is is now held by AB de Villiers – off 75 balls.)He was the first man in cricket history to score a century and take six wickets in the same Test match.

Two of the players died in dramatic accidents. Davey Cope was killed in a collision of trains when on his way by train from Johannesburg to the Currie Cup tournament in Cape Town. Cornishman Wilfred Trenery was killed with a co-worker when they were laying down explosives in the Kimberley mine.

Enough. There’s a story about every player and we have been told to pick our team of 15 players. It’s no easy task.

We are to pick a team. To do this we have attempted to put our 92 one-Test Springboks into positions and then to choose a One Test XV from them.

Early on the forwards had no titles. They were recorded just as forwards. Those were in the days of first-up, first-down. But it’s hard to fit them into a modern team with all is organisation and specialisation. After all, the selectors decided that they would not choose anybody out of position.

The One-Cappers by Position

In brackets is the year of each one’s Test.

Fullback: Davey Cope (1896), Dykie Lyons (1896), Archie Marsberg (1910), George Smith (1938)

Wing: Darius Botha (1981), Manus de Jongh (1928), Sas de Kock (1891), Jack Gage (1933), Carrots Geraghty (1949), Bertie Gibbs (1903), Jack Hartley (1891), Steve Hoffman (1953), Travis Ismaiel (2018), Andrew Morkel (1903), PK Morkel (1928), Ernest Olver (1896), Hermanus Potgieter (1977), Boet Prinsloo (1928), Sias Swart (1955), Jacko Tod (1928), Robert Twigge (1960), Jamba Ulengo (2016), Mosey van Buuren (1891), Jock van Niekerk (1928), Ben-Piet van Zyl (1961), Hasie Versfeld (1891), Leon Vogel (1974)

Centre: Syd Ashley (1903), John Dobie (1928), Bernie Duffy (1928), Jan du Preez (1956), Spanner Forbes (1896), Dirk Froneman (1977), Colin Greenwood (1961), Tommy Hepburn (1896), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (2016), Joe Kaminer (1958), Kaya Malotana (1999), Wally Mills (1910), Stan Osler (1928), Bertie Powell (1896), Billy Sendin (1921), Alan Skene (1977), Sarel Strauss (1921), Bill Taberer (1896), Ormond Taylor (1962), Johann van der Merwe (1970), Christo Wagenaar (1977)

Flyhalf: Robbie Blair (1977), Marnitz Boshoff (2014), Ray Carlson (1972), Vlok Cilliers (1996), Robert du Preez(2018), Charlie Nimb (1961), Brian Pfaff (1956), Norman Riley (1963), Daantjie van de Vyver (1937)

Scrumhalf: Bill Cotty (1896), Long George Devenish (1891), Tommy Etlinger (1896), Hugh Ferris (1903), Mannetjies Gericke (1960), Tommy Hobson (1896), Jack Immelman (1913), Norman Jordaan (2002), Roy McCallum (1974), Dietlof Maré (1906), Charl McLeod (2011), Champion Myburgh (1924), Francis Myburgh (1896), Louis Schreuder (2017), Taffy Townsend (1921), Pierre Uys (2002), Dan van Zyl (2000), Ballie Wahl (1949), Barry Wolmarans (1977)

No.8: Attie Baard (1960), Warren Britz (2002), Dugald MacDonald (1974), Poens Prinsloo (1963), Shaun Sowerby (2002), Des van Jaarsveldt (1960)

Flank: Jock Anderson (1903), Schutte Bekker (1997), Nic Bierman (1931), Ginger Clark (1933), George D’Alton (1933), Max Davison (1910), Tim Dlulane (2004), Kabamba Floors (2006), Polla Fourie (1974), Fronie Froneman (1933), Lappies Hattingh (1933), Eben Jansen (1981), Basil Kenyon (1949), Piet Malan (1949), Harry Morkel (1921), Baby Shum (1913), James Starke (1956), Elandré van der Bergh (1994), Fiks van der Merwe (1949), Piet Veldsman (1977)

Lock: Peter Allen (1960), John Botha (1903), Cocky Brooks (1906), Johan de Bruyn (1974), Piet du Plessis (1972), Braam Els (1997), Flip Geel (1949), Piet Goosen (1965), Jason Jenkins (2018), Stephan Lewies (2014), Baby Michau (1921), FC Smit (1992), Johan Steenekamp (1958), Alvi van der Merwe (1931), Franco van der Merwe (2013), Piet van Zyl (1961)

Prop: Martiens Bekker (1960), HH Castens (1891), Amos du Plooy (1955), Wian du Preez (2009), Dougie Holton (1960), CB Jennings (1937), Henry Martin (1937), Ox Nche (2018), Joe Nijkamp (1933), Hoppie van Jaarsveld (1949)

Hooker: Robbie Barnard (1970), André Bestbier (1974), Colin Kroon (1955), Bandise Maku (2010), Scarra Ntubeni (2019), Mornay Visser (1995)

Forwards: Ben Andrew (1896), Charlie Chignell (1891), Patats Cloete (1896), George Crampton (1903), Jim Crosby (1896), Clem Currie (1903), Paul de Waal (1896), Charles Devenish (1896), Tiger Devenish (1891), Frank Douglass (1896), Alex Frew (1903), Henry Gorton (1896), Frank Hamilton (1891), Jack Jackson (1903), Ted Kelly (1896), Antonie Lombard (1910), Jim McKendrick (1891), Tom Mellett (1896), George Merry (1891), PJ Meyer (1896), Toby Moll (1910), Birdie Partridge (1903), Alec Reid (1903), Bunny Reid (1933), Koot Reynecke (1910), Jimmy Sinclair (1903), Bob Snedden (1891), Dan Smith (1891), Danie Theunissen (1896), Wilfred Trenery (1891), Broekie van Broekhuizen (1896), Paul Visser (1933), Arthur Williams (1910)

Captains: HH Castens (1891), Alex Frew (1903), Basil Kenyon (1949), Bob Snedden (1891), Des van Jaarsveldt (1960)

Our One-Cap XV

15: Davey Cope
14: Jock van Niekerk
13: Colin Greenwood
12: Alan Skene
11: Ben-Piet van Zyl
10: Brian Pfaff
9: Barry Wolmarans
8: Dugald Macdonald
7: Basil Kenyon (captain)
6: Piet Veldsman
5: Peter Allen
4: Braam Els
3: Amos du Plooy
2: Robbie Barnard
1:  Retshegofaditswe Nche

* What would your one-hit wonders XV look like?