Boy Morkel

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Boy Morkel
Birth nameWilliam Herman Morkel
Date of birth(1885-01-02)2 January 1885
Place of birthSomerset West, Cape Colony
Date of death6 February 1955(1955-02-06) (aged 70)
Place of deathWorcester, Cape Province
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight89 kg (196 lb)
SchoolHottentots Holland High School, Somerset West
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Diggers RFC ()
Somerset West RFC ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1908–1914 Western Province ()
Transvaal ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1910–1921 South Africa 9 (6)

William Herman "Boy" Morkel (2 January 1885 – 6 February 1955) was a South African rugby union player and 14th captain of the South Africa national rugby union team.[1]

Biography[]

Morkel was born in Somerset West, but he played for Diggers Rugby Club in Johannesburg at the start of his career before returning to the Cape in 1908, joining Somerset West Rugby Club. He made his debut for Western Province in 1908 and later became captain.[2] He was the captain of Western Province when the team won the Currie Cup in 1914.[3]

Morkel made his test debut for South Africa during the third test against the British Isles on 3 September 1910 at Newlands in Cape Town. He was then selected for Springboks on the tour to Europe of 1912–13. Alongside Morkel in the team were his cousins Dougie, and the brothers Jacky and Gerhard. After 1914 Morkel relocated to the Transvaal where he farmed in the district of Potchefstroom. While farming and only occasionally playing some rugby, he was recalled to join Theo Pienaar's 1921 touring team to New Zealand. He was then 35 years old and yet, after the injury suffered by Pienaar, he led the Springboks in all three tests against the All Blacks.[4]

During his rugby career, Morkel played 9 Test matches for South Africa, scored two tries and also played 22 tour matches and scored five tries in the tour matches.[5]

Test history[]

No. Opponents Results
(SA 1st)		 Position Tries Dates Venue
1. United Kingdom British Isles 21–5 Forward 3 Sep 1910 Newlands, Cape Town
2.  Scotland 16–0 Forward 1 23 Nov 1912 Inverleith, Edinburgh
3.  Ireland 38–0 Forward 30 Nov 1912 Lansdowne Road, Dublin
4.  Wales 3–0 Forward 14 Dec 1912 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
5.  England 9–3 Forward 4 Jan 1913 Twickenham, London
6.  France 38–5 Forward 1 11 Jan 1913 Le Bouscat, Bordeaux
7.  New Zealand 5–13 Number 8 (c) 13 Aug 1921 Carisbrook, Dunedin
8.  New Zealand 9–5 Number 8 (c) 27 Aug 1921 Eden Park, Auckland
9.  New Zealand 0–0 Number 8 (c) 17 Sep 1921 Athletic Park, Wellington

See also[]

  • List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 128

References[]

  1. ^ "Boy Morkel". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  2. ^ Greyvenstein, Chris (1992). Springbok saga : from 1891 to the new beginning (4th ed.). Cape Town: Don Nelson. p. 54. ISBN 1-86806-095-0. OCLC 105375255.
  3. ^ Parker, A. C. (1983). W.P. Rugby : centenary, 1883-1983. Western Province Rugby Football Union (South Africa) (1st ed.). Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa: WPRFU. pp. 46, 181–185. ISBN 0-620-06555-9. OCLC 54188953.CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ Griffiths, Edward (2001). The Captains. Johannesburg: Jonathan Ball. pp. 47–49. ISBN 1-86842-112-0. OCLC 48044997.
  5. ^ Heath, Duane; Grieb, Eddie; Smit, Kobus (2020). South African Rugby Annual 2020. Cape Town: South African Rugby Union. p. 242. ISBN 9780620872041.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Springbok Captain
1921 		Succeeded by
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