1931–32 South Africa rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland

March 2014 March 2014 South Africa Springboks 1931 tour.jpg The touring squad 1931 1932 26 23 2 1 4 4 0 0 WAL 1807 1 1 0 0 IRE 1 1 0 0 ENG 1 1 0 0 SCO 1 1 0 0 The 1931–32 South Africa tour of Britain and Ireland was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national team against the four British Home Nation teams. The tour also took in several matches against British and Irish club, county and invitational teams. This was the fourth South Africa tour and the third tour of the Northern Hemisphere. The tour was extremely successful for the South Africans, as the team only lost a single match. In the tests played the team beat all four home nations. The only team to beat the Springboks was the invitational East Midlands county team. The final tour record saw 26 matches played, with South Africa winning 23, losing one and drawing two. Criticism of playing style Although very successful on the pitch, the touring South Africans were unloved by their hosts and the press back home. Bennie Osler, the South African captain, introduced a style of play which centred on a continual kicking game; either into touch in an attempt to support his large pack or diagonally across the pitch for his wings to chase. This was seen by many critics of the time as 10-man tactics, with the backs taken out of the match, and thus the entertainment brought by previous South African tours removed. Welsh journalist 'Old Stager' stated "The Africans, by adherence to ten-man rugby, are winning their matches, but are not capturing the hearts and the imagination of rugby followers...". O.L. Owen in his History of the RFU concurred with these thoughts, "The least spectacular and, so far as back play was concerned, the most disappointing of the South African touring sides..."Billot (1974), pg 126. Results DateOpponentLocationResultScoreMatch 1Gloucester and SomersetBristolWon14–3Match 28 OctoberNewport RFCRodney Parade, NewportWon15–3Match 310 OctoberSwansea RFCSt Helens, SwanseaWon10–3Match 414 OctoberAbertillery and Cross KeysAbertillery Park, AbertilleryWon10–9Match 5LondonTwickenham, LondonWon30–3Match 6Midland CountiesVilla Park, BirminghamWon13–3Match 7Durham and NorthumberlandRoker Park, SunderlandWon41–0Match 828 Octoberhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5fNYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3920%2C8041914 The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search google.comGlasgowAnnieslandWon21–13Match 931 OctoberRowans Rugby Guide. Scottish edition. 1931-32. pub Rowans Ltd. 70 Buchanan St. GlasgowSouth of ScotlandMelrose, ScotlandDrawn0–0Match 10Cambridge UniversityCambridgeWon21–9Match 11Combined ServicesTwickenham, LondonWon23–0Match 12Oxford UniversityOxfordWon24–3Match 1314 NovemberLeicestershire and East MidlandsWelford Road, LeicesterLost21–30Match 14Devon and CornwallDevonportDrawn3–3Match 1521 NovemberCardiffCardiff Arms Park, CardiffWon13–5Match 1624 NovemberLlanelliStradey Park, LlanelliWon9–0Match 1728 NovemberNeath and AberavonThe Gnoll, NeathWon8–3Match 185 DecemberWAL 1807St Helens, SwanseaWon8–3Match 19Lancashire and CheshireWaterlooWon20–9Match 20UlsterRavenhill, BelfastWon30–3Match 2119 December IREDublinWon8–3Match 22LondonTwickenham, LondonWon16–8Match 232 January 1932 ENGTwickenham, LondonWon7–0Match 24Cumberland and YorkshireWorkingtonWon27–5Match 259 January 1932Rowans Rugby Guide. Scottish edition. 1931-32. pub Rowans Ltd. 70 Buchanan St. GlasgowNorth of ScotlandAberdeenWon9–0Match 2616 January 1932 SCOMurrayfield, EdinburghWon6–3 Touring party Management Manager: Theo Pienaar Captain: Bennie Osler Full backs Gerry Brand (Western Province) Jackie Tindall (Western Province) Three-quarters Geoff Gray (Western Province) Jock van Niekerk (Western Province) Floors Venter (Transvaal) Frank Waring (Western Province) JC van der Westhuizen (Western Province) JH van der Westhuizen (Western Province) Jimmy White (Border) M Zimerman (Western Province) Half backs Danie Craven (Western Province) Murray "Tiny" Francis (Orange Free State) Bennie Osler (Western Province) P. de Villiers (Western Province) Forwards W.F. Bergh (South Western Districts) J.N. Bierman (Transvaal) George Daneel (Transvaal) John Dold (Eastern Province) H.M. Forrest (Transvaal) Manie Geere (Transvaal) Bert Kipling (Griqualand West) Matthys "Boy" Louw (Western Province) S.C. Louw (Western Province) J.A.J. McDonald (Western Province) Albertus Viljoen van der Merwe (Western Province) P.J. Mostert (Western Province) Philip Nel (Natal) L.C. Strachan (Transvaal) S.R. du Toit (Western Province) The matches Newport 8 October 1931 Newport 3–15 South Africa Try: Richards Try: ZimermanSC Louwvan der Merwe Osler Pen: Brand Rodney Parade 70,000 RW Barry WAL (Cardiff) Newport: WA Everson, Jack Morley (capt.), K Richards, JR Edwards, K Watkins, Dicky Ralph, R Tovey, JC Slade, J Hughes, JA Addison, Harry Peacock, R Newton, DA Jones, P Hordern, Sam Danahar South Africa: GH Brand, M Zimerman, JH van der Westhuizen, JC van der Westhuizen, FW Wearing, BL Osler, P de Villiers, MM Louw, PJ Mostert, SC Louw, JN Bierman, SR du Toit, PJ Nel, AJ van der Merwe, GM Daneel Swansea 10 October 1931 Swansea 3–10 South Africa Try: Davey Try: BrandJC van der WesthuizenCon: Brand St Helens 40,000 TH Phillips WAL (Pontypridd) Swansea: Iorrie Herbert, Rhys Evans, Jack Rees (capt.), Claude Davey, Jim Dark, Dennis Manley, Idwal Rees, Bryn Evans, Tom Day, Glyn Jones, Gwynfor Lewis, Dai Thomas, Will Davies, Joe White, Edgar Long South Africa: JC Tindall, JH van der Westhuizen, JC van der Westhuizen (capt.), FW Wearing, GH Brand, MG Francis, DH Craven, MM Louw, HG Kipling, SC Louw, AJ van der Merwe, V Geere, HM Forrest, GM Daneel, JAJ McDonald Abertillery and Cross Keys 14 October 1931 Abertillery and Cross Keys 9–10 South Africa Try: Thomas (2) Pen: O'Neill Try: Du Toit van der MerweCon: Osler (2) Abertillery Park 25,000 WJ Llewellyn WAL (Bridgend) Abertillery/Cross Keys: Jimmy O'Neill (Abertillery) (capt.), Jim Bird (Abertillery), George Thompson (Cross Keys), Gerald Lewis (Cross Keys), JR Davies (Cross Keys), Syd Watkins (Cross Keys), Albert Hockey (Abertillery), Mel Meek (Abertillery), Lonza Bowdler (Cross Keys), Ken Salmon (Cross Keys), Steve Morris (Cross Keys), Trevor Thomas (Abertillery), Eddie Lloyd (Abertillery), RT Probert (Cross Keys), Albert Fear (Abertillery) South Africa: JC Tindall, JH van der Westhuizen, BG Gray, J White, M Zimmerman, BL Osler (capt.), DH Craven, PJ Mostert, HG Kipling, SR du Toit, V Geere, PJ Nel, LC Strachan, JB Dold, AJ van der Merwe Glasgow 28 October 1931 Glasgow District 13–21 South Africa Try: NicholsonMurdochCon ShawScottPen Scott Try: Zimmerman (2)Louw VenterCon: Brand (3)Pen Brand Report Old Anniesland 12,000 JFC Moffat SCO Leicestershire and East Midlands 14 November 1931 Leicestershire and East Midlands 30-21 South Africa Try: Slow (2)HardwickeBeamishBuckingham Cons: Weston (4)Pen: WestonDrop Goal: Slow Try: Zimmerman (4)GrayCon: FrancisDrop Goal: Francis Welford Road 25,000 Leicestershire and East Midlands:Bobby Barr (Leicester); Jeff Hardwicke (Leicester), Ralph Buckingham (Leicester), Charlie Brumwell (Bedford), Len Ashwell (Bedford); Charles Slow (Northampton), Bernard Gadney (Leicester); Henry Greenwood (Leicester), Doug Norman (Leicester), Ray Longland (Northampton), Thomas Harris (Northampton), Anthony Roncoroni (West Herts), Bill Weston (Northampton), George Beamish (Leicester), Eric Coley (Northampton) South Africa: Tindall; Venter, van der Westhuizen, Gray, Zimmerman; Francis, Craven; Louw, Mostert, du Toit, Nel, Strachan, Bierman, Dold, Daneel Cardiff 21 November 1931 Cardiff 5–13 South Africa Try: BoonCon: Stone Try: ZimermanGray McDonald Con: Brand (2) Cardiff Arms Park 34,000 WH Harris WAL (Risca) Cardiff: Tommy Stone, Ronnie Boon, Graham Jones, Bernard Turnbull, John Roberts, Harry Bowcott (capt.), Maurice Turnbull, Tom Lewis, Don Tarr, Tom Gadd, Archie Skym, Viv Osmond, Colin Ross, Bob Barrell, Iorrie Isaacs South Africa: GH Brand, M Zimerman, BG Gray, JC van der Westhuizen, DO Williams, BL Osler (capt.), P de Villiers, MM Louw, PJ Mostert, SR du Toit, AJ van der Merwe, WF Bergh, V Geere, JN Bierman, JAJ McDonald Llanelli 24 November 1931 Llanelli 0–9 South Africa Try: Try: van der Westhuizen Gray Williams Stradey Park Albert Freethy WAL (Neath) Llanelli: Bryn Howells, Wattie Lewis, Sid Howells, Tom Evans, Horace Fairhurst, Dai John, Bert Jones, Bryn Evans, Jack Williams, Edgar Jones, Cliff Treharne, Alf Parker, Will Lang, Jim Lang, Ivor Jones (capt.) South Africa: GH Brand, DO Williams, BG Gray, JH van der Westhuizen, FW Waring, MM Louw (capt.), DH Craven, MG Francis, HG Kipling, V Geere, GM Daneel, PJ Nel, WF Bergh, JN Bierman, LC Strachan Neath and Aberavon 28 November 1931 Neath & Aberavon 3–8 South Africa Try: Hopkins Try: MostertCon: OslerPen: Osler The Gnoll 20,000 J Megins WAL (Pontyclun) Neath & Aberavon: Phil Lloyd (Neath), Dan Jones (Neath), Glyn Daniels (Neath), Gwyn Moore (Neath), Fred Nicholas (Aberavon), Wilf Selby (Aberavon), Tal Harris (Aberavon), Tom Arthur (Neath), Miah McGrath (Aberavon), Ned Jenkins (Aberavon), Walter Vickery (Aberavon), Gordon Hopkins (Neath), Arthur Lemon (Neath), Cyril Griffiths (Aberavon) (Capt.), Glyn Prosser (Neath) South Africa: JC Tindall, M Zimerman, J White, JC van der Westhuizen, FD Venter, BL Osler (capt.), DH Craven, SR du Toit, HG Kipling, PJ Mostert, AJ van der Merwe, PJ Nel, WF Bergh, JB Dold, JAJ McDonald Wales 5 December 1931 WAL 1807 3–8 RSA 1928 Try: Davies Try: DaneelBergh Con: Osler St Helens 70,000 E. Holmes ENG (England) Wales: Jack Bassett (Penarth) (capt.), Jack Morley (Newport), Claude Davey (Swansea), Frank Williams (Cardiff), Ronnie Boon (Cardiff), Dicky Ralph (Newport), Wick Powell (London Welsh), Tom Day (Swansea), Lonza Bowdler, (Cross Keys), Archie Skym (Cardiff), Ned Jenkins (Aberavon), Tom Arthur (Neath), Arthur Lemon (Neath), Watcyn Thomas (Swansea), Will Davies (Swansea) South Africa: GH Brand, M Zimerman, BG Gray, J White, FD Ventor, DH Craven, PJ Mostert, BL Osler (capt.), HG Kipling, MM Louw, AJ van der Marwe, WF Bergh, PJ Nel, GM Daneel, JAJ McDonald Ireland 19 December 1931 IRE 3–8 RSA 1928 Pen: McMahon Try: WaringZimerman Con: Osler Lansdowne Road 35,000 Ireland: Major Egan, Ned Lightfoot, Eugene Davy, Morgan Crowe, Jack Arigho, Laurence McMahon, Paul Murray, Hal Withers, Victor Pike, Jimmy Farrell, Jack Russell, Jack Siggins, Noel Murphy, George Beamish (c), Jammie Clinch South Africa: Gerry Brand, Morris Zimerman, Franky Waring, C van der Westhuizen, Ponie van der Westhuizen, Bennie Osler (c), Danie Craven, Boy Louw, Bert Kipling, Phil Mostert, Flip Nel, Ferdie Bergh, Nick Bierman, Andre McDonald, George Daneel England 2 January 1932 ENG 0–7 RSA 1928 Try: Bergh Drop: Brand Twickenham 70,000 Scotland 16 January 1932 SCO 3–6 RSA 1928 Try: Lind Try: Osler Craven Murrayfield 65,000 Bibliography Billot John Springboks in Wales 1974 Ron Jones Publications Ferndale Smith David Williams, Gareth Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union 1980 University of Wales Press Cardiff 0-7083-0766-3 References collapsed collapsed collapsed collapsed collapsed South Africa tour South Africa tour Category:South Africa national rugby union team tours of Europe Category:Rugby union tours of England Category:Rugby union tours of Ireland Category:Rugby union tours of Scotland Category:Rugby union tours of Wales South Africa tour tour tour tour tour 1932-01-02 1931-12-09 1932-01-16 1931-12-16