Glasgow & District vs South Africa
28th October 1931
Official Match Programme
Glasgow & District vs South Africa
The first match in Scotland for the 1931 touring Springboks was against a combined Glasgow & District side, overnight rain the night before would hamper the visitors. With Springbok tour Captain Bennie Osler still on the injury list, Centre JC Van Der Westhuizen would once again lead the side.
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Team Line ups
The Springbok captain had a hand in the opening try when he dashed through an opening to send Zimerman away to score in a good position for the conversion kick. Brand converted, but the lead did not last long. Flyhalf Nicholson outwitted the defence to bring the scores level. The Boks replied when Waring snatched the ball from the loose and passed to Zimerman who was in a good position and raced to the line for Brand to convert.
Halftime: Glasgow & District: 5 South Africa: 10
The Springboks back play improved during the second half and the forwards continued their dominance. First it was prop Fanie Louw who crashed over after most of the Springboks had handled the ball. Brand kicked his third conversion. Venter scored his try after an electrifying run by Zimerman. Brand failed to convert. Then it was the locals who took control and scored eight points, Murdoch scored try number two for the home team and had Old Anniesland ecstatic. Scott converted and added a penalty. Brand kicked a penalty towards the end of the match to put the result beyond doubt.
The Springboks won a hard-fought victory 21-13.
One feature of the match was the chant of “Feet! Glasgow! Feet! whenever Glasgow were on the attack. The Springbok forward pack would outweigh the home team forwards by almost a stone a man, surprisingly the local hooker ‘JC Ireland’ was one of the standout performers winning the ball from the scrums seven times.
Glasgow & District: 13
RM Murdoch (try), W Nicholson (try), I Shaw (con), GC Scott (1 con & 1 Penalty)
South Africa: 21
M Zimmerman (2 tries), F Venter (try), SC Louw (try), GH Brand (3 con & 1 Penalty)
Venue:
Old Anniesland (Glasgow)
Attendance:
10,000
Referee:
FJC Moffat (SRU)
Glasgow & District:
RWS Patrick, RM Murdoch, JA Steven, I Shaw, EG Taylor, W Nicholson, JB Nelson (Capt), JCH Ireland, R Rowand, LM Stuart, AE Allen, GC Scott, RW Brown, GC Langlands, WAC Lambie.
South Africa:
G Brand, M Zimerman, JC Van Der Westhuizen (Capt), F Waring, F Venter, MG Francis, P de Villiers, MM Louw, H Kipling, SC Louw, A van der Merwe, H Forrest, PJ Mostert, GM Daneel, JB Dold.
Book: The Bennie Osler Tour ‘The Third Springboks in Britain 1931-32’ – Hans Saestad
Peter Douglas-Davies
26/01/2018