Summary
Matthys (Boy) Michael Louw (21 February 1906 – 3 May 1988), was a rugby union player on the South African rugby team. His primary position was prop but he also played in the line-out for the Springboks at second row, flanker and number eight.[1]
| Birth name | Matthys Michael Louw | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 21 February 1906 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Wellington, Cape Colony | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 3 May 1988 (aged 82) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Belville, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 91 kg (201 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Paarl Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Fanie Louw (brother), Japie Louw (uncle) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography edit
Louw was born on the farm Watervlei near Wellington as the fifth child of ten brothers and five sisters. One brother died young, he and Fanie Louw became Springboks and the other brothers all played senior rugby.[2]
Louw made his debut for Western Province as a teenage schoolboy against the British Isles in 1924. His Springbok debut was in 1928 against the visiting All Blacks, when he was selected as lock for the fourth test at the Crusaders Ground in Port Elizabeth. Louw played 18 test matches for the Boks, 13 of which as loosehead prop and scored one try. He also played 31 tour matches in which he scored five tries.[3]
Test history edit
| No. | Opponents | Results (SA 1st) |
Position | Tries | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  New Zealand |
11–6 | Lock | 18 Aug 1928 | Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth | |
| 2. | New Zealand |
5–13 | Loosehead Prop | 1 Sep 1928 | Newlands, Cape Town | |
| 3. |  Wales |
8–3 | Loosehead prop | 5 Dec 1931 | St. Helen's, Swansea | |
| 4. |  Ireland |
8–3 | Loosehead prop | 19 Dec 1931 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | |
| 5. |  England |
7–0 | Loosehead prop | 2 Jan 1932 | Twickenham, London | |
| 6. |  Scotland |
6–3 | Loosehead prop | 16 Jan 1932 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | |
| 7. |  Australia |
17–3 | Loosehead prop | 8 Jul 1933 | Newlands, Cape Town | |
| 8. | Australia |
6–21 | Lock | 22 Jul 1933 | Kingsmead, Durban | |
| 9. | Australia |
12–3 | Loosehead prop | 1 | 12 Aug 1933 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg |
| 10. | Australia |
11–0 | Flank | 26 Aug 1933 | Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth | |
| 11. | Australia |
4–15 | Flank | 2 Sep 1933 | Springbok Park, Bloemfontein | |
| 12. | Australia |
9–5 | Number Eight | 26 Jun 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| 13. | Australia |
26–17 | Loosehead prop | 17 Jul 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | |
| 14. | New Zealand |
13–6 | Loosehead prop | 4 Sep 1937 | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | |
| 15. | New Zealand |
17–6 | Loosehead prop | 25 Sep 1937 | Eden Park, Auckland | |
| 16. |  British Isles |
26–12 | Loosehead prop | 6 Aug 1938 | Ellis Park Park, Johannesburg | |
| 17. | British Isles |
19–3 | Loosehead prop | 3 Sep 1938 | Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth | |
| 18. | British Isles |
16–21 | Loosehead prop | 10 Sep 1938 | Newlands, Cape Town |
See also edit
- List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 207
References edit
- ^ ESPN Scrum.com Player Profile
- ^ Dobson, Paul (1995). 30 Super Springboks (1st ed.). Cape Town: Human & Rousseau. pp. 69–75. ISBN 0-7981-3411-9. OCLC 37966584.
- ^ Heath, Duane; Grieb, Eddie; Smit, Kobus (2020). South African Rugby Annual 2020. Cape Town: South African Rugby Union. p. 240. ISBN 9780620872041.