Springbok Rugby History, Chapter 1

CONTENTS
IN THE BEGINNING. ...............................3
THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE SARB................4
TESTING TIMES. ..................................5
1891 TEST MATCHES. ............................. 6
TOUR ITINERARY. .................................6
1891 BRITISH TOURING TEAM ..................... 6
FIRST TEST .......................................7
SECOND TEST.....................................8
THIRD TEST. ..................................... 10
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE TOUR ........... 12
SOURCE LIST. .................................... 13
This is a painting of club rugby in Cape Town in 1888.
This period was known as the “first there, first to
go-down” period, meaning that there was still
no advanced structure for the game among the
forwards as well as the backs, as we know it today. When
a scrum had to be formed, the first players who were
there, formed the front row and the next players the locks
and so on.
Like the forwards, the backs had to be very versatile,
because the same principle applied, namely, the first
players in position filled that position, so there was no
scrum-half, fly-half, etc.
It was during this period that the nine forwards were
reduced to eight as we called it today and the only center
later got a mate. Due to the fact that there were not
specialists, players in the era were very versatile and this
resulted that more double Springboks came out of the
period than thereafter.
IN THE BEGINNING
Rugby was brought to South Africa probably by British
regiments who fought various wars at the time during the
second half of the 18th century. Diocesan College (also
known as Bishops) was the first school to play a form
of handling code in South Africa and also produced a
number of famous players who formed the backbone of
the early Western Province players. There was a game
between Military and Civilians as early as August 1862
and it was probably the first organized football match
played in the country.
In March 1875, the first rugby club, namely Hamilton
Rugby Football Club, was established and is thus the
oldest in the Southern Hemisphere. The second oldest
rugby club in South Africa, Villager R.F.C. was formed
in May 1876. The formation in 1882 and 1883 of the
Stellenbosch and South African College (later University
of Cape Town) clubs was to have a profound influence
of the advancement of rugby in the Western Province in
particular, and in South Africa in general.
From Western Province, the game rapidly spread along
the coastal belt of the old Cape Colony to the Eastern
Cape and when diamonds were discovered in Kimberley,
Griqualand West were to compete with Western Province
Springbok Rugby History - 1891 - 1996 1891 ©Published by Johan Jooste - Oubokrugby - 2021
1891
Page 2 Page 3