Boy Morkel

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.

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 in 1908 and later became captain. He was the captain of Western Province when the team won the Currie Cup in 1914.

Morkel made his test debut for 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.

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.

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