# 1912–13 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe

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. 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. 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.

## Match summary

Complete list of matches played by the Springboks in Europe:
Test matches
| # | Date | Opponents | City | Venue | Score |
| 1 | 3 Oct 1912 | Somerset RU | Bath | | 24–3 |
| 2 | 5 Oct 1912 | Devon RU | Exeter | | 8–0 |
| 3 | 10 Oct 1912 | Cornwall | Redruth | | 15–6 |
| 4 | 12 Oct 1912 | Monmouthshire | Pontypool | Recreation Ground | 16–0 |
| 5 | 17 Oct 1912 | Glamorgan | Cardiff | Cardiff Arms Park | 35–3 |
| 6 | 19 Oct 1912 | Llanelli RFC | Llanelli | Stradey Park | 8–7 |
| 7 | 24 Oct 1912 | Newport RFC | Newport | Rodney Parade | 3–9 |
| 8 | 26 Oct 1912 | London Counties | Blackheath | | 12–8 |
| 9 | 30 Oct 1912 | Combined Services | Portsmouth | | 18–16 |
| 10 | 2 Nov 1912 | East Midlands | Northampton | | 14–5 |
| 11 | 6 Nov 1912 | Oxford University RFC | Oxford | | 6–0 |
| 12 | 9 Nov 1912 | Midland Counties | Leicester | | 25–3 |
| 13 | 14 Nov 1912 | Cambridge University | Cambridge | | 24–0 |
| 14 | 16 Nov 1912 | London Counties | London | Twickenham Stadium | 8–10 |
| 15 | 20 Nov 1912 | Northern Counties | Newcastle | | 17–0 |
| 16 | 23 Nov 1912 | Scotland | Inverleith | | 16–0 |
| 17 | 27 Nov 1912 | Combined Scottish Districts | Glasgow | New Anniesland | 38–3 |
| 18 | 30 Nov 1912 | Ireland | Dublin | Lansdowne Road | 38–0 |
| 19 | 4 Dec 1912 | Ulster | Belfast | | 19–0 |
| 20 | 7 Dec 1912 | Northern Counties | Birkenhead | Birkenhead Park | 21–8 |
| 21 | 14 Dec 1912 | Wales | Cardiff | Cardiff Arms Park | 3–0 |
| 22 | 19 Dec 1912 | Neath RFC | Neath | The Gnoll | 8–3 |
| 23 | 21 Dec 1912 | Cardiff RFC | Cardiff | Cardiff Arms Park | 7–6 |
| 24 | 26 Dec 1912 | Swansea RFC | Swansea | St Helen's Ground | 0–3 |
| 25 | 28 Dec 1912 | Gloucestershire RU | Bristol | | 11–0 |
| 26 | 4 Jan 1913 | England | London | Twickenham Stadium | 9–3 |
| 27 | 11 Jan 1913 | France | Le Bouscat | Stade Sainte-Germaine | 38–5 |
Balance :
| Pl | W | D | L | Ps | Pc |
| 27 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 441 | 101 |

## Match details
### Monmouthshire

* 12 October
| Monmouthshire | 0–16 | South Africa |
| | | Try: Mills (2) F Luyt van Vuuren Con:Wrentmore (2) |
* Recreation Ground, Pontypool Attendance: 12,000 Referee: TD Schofield (Bridgend, Wales)
* Team details
* MonmouthshireHA 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 AfricaPG 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

* 17 October
| Glamorgan RFC | 3–35 | South Africa |
| Try: B Lewis | | Try: Stegmann (4), Mills, D Luyt, F Luyt, van Vuuren Con: F Luyt Pen: D Morkel Drop: D Luyt |
* Arms Park, Cardiff Attendance: 15,000 Referee: AO Jones (Leicester, England)
* Team details
* GlamorganP 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 AfricaPG 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

* 19 October
| Llanelli RFC | 7–8 | South Africa |
| Try: J Evans Drop: Hiams | | Try: van der Hoff, J Morkel Con: J Morkel |
* Stradey Park, Llanelli Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Gil Evans (Birmingham, England)
* Team details
* LlanelliF 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 AfricaJJ 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

* 24 October
| Newport RFC | 9–3 | South Africa |
| Try: Birt Con:Birt drop: Birt | | Try: D Morkel |
* Rodney Parade, Newport Attendance: 18,300 Referee: F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England)
* Team details
* NewportH 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 AfricaJJ 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

* 23 November
| Scotland | 0–16 | South Africa |
| | | Try: Stegmann (2), McHardy, W H Morkel Con: D Morkel, G Morkel |
* Inverleith, Edinburgh Attendance: 26,000 Referee: F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England)
* Team details
* ScotlandWalter 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 AfricaPG 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

* 30 November
| Ireland | 0–38 | South Africa |
| | | Try: Stegmann (3), McHardy (3), J Morkel (2), Francis, Millar Con: G Morkel (3), JD Luyt |
* Lansdowne Road, Dublin Attendance: 20,000 Referee: John Dallas (1st half) Fred Gardiner (2nd half) F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England) [sick]
Team details :
| Ireland | South Africa |

### Wales

* 14 December
| Wales | 0–3 | South Africa |
| | | Pen: D Morkel |
* Arms Park, Cardiff Attendance: 30,000 Referee: F.C. Potter-Irwin (London, England)
* Team details
* WalesBobbie 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 AfricaPG 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

* 19 December
| Neath RFC | 3–8 | South Africa |
| Try: Richards | | Try: Van der Hoff W Morkel Con: D Morkel |
* The Gnoll, Neath Attendance: 15,000 Referee: R.G. Smith (Bristol, England)
* Team details
* NeathG 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 AfricaPG 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

* 21 December
| Cardiff RFC | 6–7 | South Africa |
| Try: Spiller Pen: Rogers | | Pen: D Morkel Drop: J Morkel |
* Arms Park, Cardiff Referee: J.H. Miles (Leicester, England)
* Team details
* CardiffRF 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 AfricaPG 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

* 26 December
| Swansea RFC | 3–0 | South Africa |
| Try: Thomas | | |
* St. Helen's, Swansea Attendance: 35,000 Referee: James Greenlees (Scotland)
* Team details
* SwanseaD 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 AfricaPG 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

* 4 January
| England | 3–9 | South Africa |
| Try: Poulton | | Try: J Morkel Pen: D Morkel (2) |
* Twickenham, London Attendance: 29,000 Referee: John Tulloch (Scotland)
Team details :
| England | South Africa |

### France

* 11 January
| France | 5–35 | South Africa |
| Try: Bruneau Con: André | | Try: Francis, Ledger, R Luyt, McHardy (2), D Morkel (2), J Morkel, W Morkel Con: D Morkel (2), J Morkel (2) Pen: D Morkel |
* Le Bouscat, Gironde Attendance: 20,000 Referee: W. Williams (England)
Team details :
| France | South Africa |