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.
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.Billot (1974), p. 70. 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.Billot (1974), p. 71. 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.
Touring party
Manager: Max Honnet Captain: Billy Millar Vice-captain Frederick Dobbin
Full back J. J. Meintjies (Griqualand West) Gerhard Morkel (Western Province)
Three-quarters Otto van der Hoff (Transvaal) William Krige (Western Province) Richard Luyt (Western Province) Boetie McHardy (Orange Free State) Wally Mills (Western Province) Jacky Morkel (Western Province) Johan Stegmann (Transvaal) Bai Wrentmore (Western Province)
Half-backs Uncle Dobbin (Griqualand West) J. H. Immelman (Western Province) Freddie Luyt (Western Province) J. D. McCulloch (Griqualand West)
Forwards J. S. Braine (Griqualand West) S. N. Cronje (Transvaal) E. T. Delaney (Griqualand West) J. A. J. Francis (Transvaal) Saturday Knight (Transvaal) Septimus Ledger (Griqualand West) L. H. Louw (Western Province) John Luyt (Eastern Province) Billy Millar (Western Province) Dougie Morkel (Transvaal) Boy Morkel (Western Province) E. H. Shum (Transvaal) Tommy Thompson (Western Province) T. F. van Vuuren (Eastern Province)
Match summary Complete list of matches played by the Springboks in Europe:South Africa tour, 1912-13|Match results on ESPN Scrum
Test matches
# Date Opponents City Venue Score13 Oct 1912Somerset RUBath24–325 Oct 1912Devon RUExeter 8–0310 Oct 1912CornwallRedruth15–6412 Oct 1912MonmouthshirePontypoolRecreation Ground16–0517 Oct 1912GlamorganCardiffCardiff Arms Park35–3619 Oct 1912Llanelli RFCLlanelliStradey Park8–7724 Oct 1912Newport RFCNewportRodney Parade3–9826 Oct 1912London CountiesBlackheath12–8930 Oct 1912Combined ServicesPortsmouth18–16102 Nov 1912East Midlands Northampton14–5116 Nov 1912Oxford University RFCOxford6–0129 Nov 1912Midland Counties Leicester25–31314 Nov 1912Cambridge UniversityCambridge24–01416 Nov 1912London CountiesLondonTwickenham Stadium8–101520 Nov 1912Northern CountiesNewcastle17–01623 Nov 1912Inverleith16–01727 Nov 1912GlasgowNew Anniesland38–31830 Nov 1912 DublinLansdowne Road 38–0194 Dec 1912Ulster Belfast 19–0207 Dec 1912Northern CountiesBirkenheadBirkenhead Park21–82114 Dec 1912 CardiffCardiff Arms Park3–02219 Dec 1912Neath RFCNeathThe Gnoll8–32321 Dec 1912Cardiff RFCCardiffCardiff Arms Park7–62426 Dec 1912Swansea RFCSwanseaSt Helen's Ground0–32528 Dec 1912Gloucestershire RUBristol11–0264 Jan 1913 LondonTwickenham Stadium9–32711 Jan 1913 Le BouscatStade Sainte-Germaine38–5
Balance Pl W D L Ps Pc 27 24 0 3 441 101
Match details
Monmouthshire
Team detailsMonmouthshire HA James (Abertillery), W Davies (Brynmawr), J Wetter (Newport), R Plummer (Newport), WJ Thomas (Abertillery), E Marsh (Abertillery), R Lloyd (Pontypool), Rees Thomas (Pontypool), F Talbot (Pontypool), E Stephens (Pontypool), T Davies (Pontypool), F Andrews (Pontypool), J Webb (Abertillery), J Hennessy (Rhymney), J Williams (Newport) South Africa PG Morkel, EE McHardy, WA Krige, FJ Dobbin, MJ Mills, FP Luyt, GM Wrentmore, ET Delaney, EH Shum, SH Ledger, AS Knight, TF van Vuuren, LH Louw, ET Delaney, WA Millar (capt.)
Glamorgan
Team detailsGlamorgan P Howells (Penarth), G Heslop(Penarth), T Evans (Cardiff), William Davies (capt.) (Swansea), B Lewis (Swansea), J Rogers (Cardiff), Clem Lewis (Cardiff), W Jenkins (Cardiff), E Mithan (Cardiff), Bob Hayward (Llwynypia), W Hopkins (Aberavon), Harry Hiams (Llanelli), Glyn Stephens (Neath), T Williams (Swansea), T Morgan (Swansea) South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, MJ Mills, FP Luyt, JH Immelman, ET Delaney, TF van Vuuren, WH Morkel, AS Knight, JAJ Francis, G Thompson, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
Llanelli
Team detailsLlanelli F Rees, J Evans, W Watts, J Owen Davies, E Thomas, L Bennett, D Lloyd, S Phillips, G Evans, R Williams, DM Job, AJ Stacey (capt.), J Morgan, H Hiams, T Williams South Africa JJ Meintjies, EE McHardy, WA Krige, JWH Morkel, FJ Dobbin (capt.), JD McCulloch, EH Shum, SN Cronje, SH Ledger, JAJ Francis, LH Louw, A van der Hoff, JS Braine, JD Luyt, G Thompson
Newport
Team detailsNewport H Wreford, Billy Geen, Walter Martin capt., J Wetter, Fred Birt, Reg Plummer, Tommy Vile, Jack Beames, J Williams, Harry Wetter, C Anderson, A Bell, R Dibble, Harry Uzzell, AR Williams South Africa JJ Meintjies, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, GM Wrentmore, A van der Hoff, FP Luyt, JH Immelman, ET Delaney, JS Braine, JD Luyt, AS Knight, TF van Vuuren, G Thompson, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
Scotland
Team detailsScotland Walter Dickson, Walter Sutherland, Alex Angus, AW Gunn, James Pearson, James Boyd, Eric Milroy, Patrick Blair, Lewis Robertson, WDCL Purves, David Howie, David Bain, JMB Scott, J Dobson, FH Turner capt. South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, EE McHardy, FP Luyt, FJ Dobbin capt., JD Luyt, SH Ledger, G Thompson, TF van Vuuren, JAJ Francis, DFT Morkel, WH Morkel, AS Knight
Ireland
Team detailsIreland CP Stuart, R Watson, GW Holmes, JB Minch, M Abraham, RA Lloyd capt., HM Read, G. S. Brown, RB Burgess, SBB Campbell, H Moore, C Adams, R d'A Patterson, FG Schute, JJ Clune South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, EE McHardy, FP Luyt, FJ Dobbin, WA Millar capt., SH Ledger, G Thompson, TF van Vuuren, JAJ Francis, DFT Morkel, WH Morkel, AS Knight
Wales
Team detailsWales Bobbie Williams (Cardiff), Billy Geen (Newport), Fred Birt (Newport), Billy Spiller (Cardiff), Reg Plummer (Newport), Horace Thomas (Swansea), Tommy Vile (Newport) (capt.), F Andrews (Pontypool), Rees Thomas (Pontypool), F Perrett (Neath), Glyn Stephens (Neath), Percy Jones (Newport), Harry Wetter (Newport), Bert Hollingdale (Swansea), Johnnie Morgan (Llanelli) South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, EE McHardy, FP Luyt, FJ Dobbin, JAJ Francis, JD Luyt, AS Knight, TF van Vuuren, G Thompson, WH Morkel, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
Neath
Team detailsNeath G Gethin, H Richards, G Rees, T Owen Jones, T John, F Rees, S Evans, F David (capt.), T Jenkins, F Perrett, W Hopkins, J Pullman, W Davies, G Stephens, TC Lloyd South Africa PG Morkel, A van der Hoff, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, MJ Mills, FP Luyt, JH Immelman, EH Shum, JAJ Francis, ET Delaney, AS Knight, WH Morkel, G Thompson, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
Cardiff
Team detailsCardiff RF Williams, W Bowen, Billy Spiller (capt.), T Evans, WT Grassmore, Clem Lewis, J Rogers, WJ Jenkins, C Palmer, A Barker, JS Michael, J Birch, F Gaccon, T Mithan, A Green South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, EE McHardy, FP Luyt, JH Immelman, FJ Dobbin, JAJ Francis, JD Luyt, AS Knight, TF van Vuuren, G Thompson, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
Swansea
Team detailsSwansea D Williams, Howell Lewis, WJ Trew (capt.), T Williams, F Williams, O Jenkins, Sidney Jerram, E Morgan, David John Thomas, B Williams, Tom Morgan, B Hollingdale, G Evans, H Moultan, G Hayward South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, WJ Mills, FP Luyt, FJ Dobbin, SH Ledger, JAJ Francis, JD Luyt, AS Knight, WH Morkel, G Thompson, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
England
Team detailsEngland William Johnston, Cyril Lowe, FM Stoop, RW Poulton, VHM Coates, W. J. A. Davies, WI Cheesman, JAS Ritson, Norman Wodehouse, SEJ Smart, JA King, LG Brown, AL Kewney, Jenny Greenwood, CH Pillman South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, RR Luyt, JWH Morkel, EE McHardy, FP Luyt, JD McCulloch, SH Ledger, JAJ Francis, EM Shum, AS Knight, WH Morkel, TF van Vuuren, DF Morkel, WA Millar (capt.)
France
Team detailsFrance FB J Caujolle, G Andre, M Bruneau, J Sentilles, P Jaureguy, A Chatau, M Hedembaigt, P Mauriat, JR Pascarel, H Tilh, P Mouniq, M Leuvielle capt., M Legrain, F Forgues, M Communeau South Africa PG Morkel, JA Stegmann, JWH Morkel, RR Luyt, EE McHardy, J Immelman, J McCulloch, D Morkel, T van Vuuren, A Knight, W Morkel, SH Ledger, JAJ Francis, WA Millar capt., J Luyt
Bibliography
External links
Results overview at rugbyarchive.net
References