1 February 2023
For many, the greatest Springbok rugby team of all time was the 1937 side, captained by Maritzburg College Old Boy, Philip Nel, who was the school’s Head Prefect in 1921. They were so successful that some referred to them as “The Invincibles”.
Now, an important piece of rugby history from that tour has been presented to Maritzburg College. The rugby ball used in the Springboks’ historic 17-6 third test victory, which made them the first team to win a series on New Zealand soil, was tracked down and recently brought to College by Ian Cairns, from the Maritzburg College class of 1968.
The ball was then presented to College Headmaster Chris Luman and Bruce Lesur, of the Old Boys’ Association, in celebration of Philip Nel’s crucial role in a match that is extremely significant in rugby’s history.
On a gruelling tour of Australia and New Zealand, the 1937 Springboks played their first of 28 matches on 31 May and their last on 29 September. They won 26 of their 28 contests.
In Australia, the side contested 11 matches, running away to one-sided victories in eight of those games. Their only loss was to New South Wales, by a 6-17 margin, but they won the two-test series 9-5 and 26-17.
In New Zealand, the Springboks ran out 17 times, losing only the first test 7-13 at Athletic Park in Wellington. They levelled the series with a 13-6 victory in Christchurch.
Then, in front of a huge crowd of 55 000, they beat the All Blacks in Auckland to seal a series victory on 25 September. Their tour ended on 29 September with a 14-6 win over North Auckland.
With tours having been replaced by other competitions, like the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship, featuring South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina, the 1937 Springboks remain the only South African team to have won a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
The story of the ball
The story of the ball is a humorous, fantastic tale, which was related by Philip Nel’s widow, Josie, who lived to the ripe old age of 102.
After winning the third test to secure a famous series victory, some of the Springboks went out on the town to celebrate. Philip Nel, though, stayed with his wife.
Around 03:00 the following morning, flanker Ebbo Bastard and two others were returning to their hotel, playing with the ball that had been used in the test match. Somehow, they managed to get it caught up in some telephone wires and, while they were trying to retrieve it, a policeman, Officer Gleeson, happened upon them.
Arrested!
He asked them who they were, and they replied that they were Springbok rugby players. But matters went awry when he asked for their names, and Ebbo Bastard replied: “Bastard”. Gleeson duly arrested them, retrieved the ball, and then locked them up.
Bastard was allowed to place a phone call to Philip Nel, who arrived at the police station in the early hours of the morning to arrange for his players’ release.
Nel didn’t want the news of the players’ arrest to appear in the newspapers, so he got his team to sign the ball and presented it to Officer Gleeson.
Tracking down the ball
Some 85 years later, the ball, which had been passed through generations of the Gleeson family over the decades, was tracked down by Jos Robson and Bruce Lesur.
They made contact with Jan Walters-Gleeson, whose late husband had been the great-nephew of Officer Gleeson, and she agreed to donate the ball to Maritzburg College. It was duly delivered to Old Collegian Laurie Sharp in October 2022.
Ian Cairns and his wife, Tessa, then made the long journey from Auckland to Pietermaritzburg, where they presented the ball to the school.
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