Jock van Niekerk explained

Jock van Niekerk
Full Name:Jasper Albertus van Niekerk
Birth Date:1 June 1907
Birth Place:Constantia, Cape Town,
South Africa
Death Place:Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa
Weight:175 lb
Position:Wing
Repyears1:1928
Repcaps1:1
Reppoints1:0

Jasper Albertus van Niekerk (1 June 1907 – 19 April 1983) was a South African international rugby union player.

Biography

Born in Constantia, van Niekerk was educated at Wynberg Boys' High School and South African College Schools in his native Cape Town. He played rugby as a wing-three quarter and was a speedy player with a deceptive swerve.[1] A member of the Villager club, van Niekerk was a Western Province representative.[2]

Van Niekerk was capped once for the Springboks, appearing against the touring 1928 All Blacks at Cape Town. He also made the 1931–32 tour of Britain, but only played three minutes of a match against Midland Counties before succumbing to a tour ending knee injury, having earlier damaged his cartilage in a practice session.[3] [4]

Retiring after the England tour, van Niekerk served with the South African Medical Corps as an ambulance driver in World War II. It took him five attempts to enlist before being passed fit for active service, on account of his bad knee.[5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: The Wings . . 10 October 1931.
  2. News: About The Players . Devon and Exeter Gazette . 8 August 1931.
  3. News: Springboks' Star Three-Quarter . . 21 October 1931.
  4. News: Unlucky Springbok . The Daily Telegraph . 22 October 1931.
  5. News: Fifth Time Lucky . Leicester Evening Mail . 16 June 1941.