SA Schools - 40 years ago

The first South African Schools side was chosen in 1974. They played a home Test and then toured in Europe.

This was at a time when South African teams were becoming increasingly subject to the boycott as the whole world disapproved of apartheid.

The very first match SA Schools played was against Scottish Schools  at Ellis Park on 10 August  1974, 40 years ago.

The Scots had played and won five matches in what was then Rhodesia. They came to South Africa and lost 11-7 to Natal before playing the 'Klein Bokkies'.

The star of the SA Schools side was wing Agie Koch who scored two tries against the Scots. He later went on to a great career for Western Province, a man so unlucky not to have been a Springbok but those were days of few Springboks.

In all SA Schools scored five tries to one in days when a try was worth four points.

Scorers:

For SA Schools:

Tries: Agie Kock 2, Warren Kruger, John Bonthuys, Shane Carty

Cons: Michael Laubscher 3

For Scottish Schools:

Try: Martin Woll

Con: Robin Wood

Pen: Robin Wood

Teams

SA Schools: John Bonthuys (Western Province), Warren Kruger (Western Province), Bob Bolus (Western Province), Fanie Campher (Stellaland), Agie Koch (Western Province), Lee Barnard (Transvaal, Michael Laubscher (Western Province), Ernest Kruger (Transvaal), Mark Kleinenberg (Border), André du Preez (South Western Districts), Shane Carty (Transvaal), Bernard Pienaar (Western Province) (captain),  Daan Roux, Stellaland, Ockert Stoop (Eastern Transvaal, Deon Visagie (Western Transvaal)

Scottish Schools: Ken Robson, Stuart Irvine, Martin Woll, Robin Wood, Robert Waine, Richard Breakley, Pete Mackinnon (captain), Ian ranking, Mafnis Brown, Alan Neave, Tony Adairt, Alex Preston, Stephen Gilchrist, Norman Stewart, Greg Mackenzie

In December the SA Schools side toured Italy for five matches and the France for four matches, all of which they won.