Jump to content

Ferdie Bergh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ferdie Bergh
Birth nameWillem Ferdinand van Rheede van Oudtschoorn Bergh
Date of birth(1906-11-02)2 November 1906
Place of birthStellenbosch, Cape Colony
Date of death28 May 1973(1973-05-28) (aged 66)
Place of deathBelville, South Africa
Height1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight97 kg (214 lb)
UniversityStellenbosch University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, Number eight
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1928–29 Western Transvaal ()
1929–32 South Western Districts ()
1933–35 Griqualand West ()
1936–37 Transvaal ()
1938 Northern Transvaal ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1931–38 South Africa 17 (21)

Willem Ferdinand van Rheede van Oudtschoorn Bergh (2 November 1906 – 28 May 1973), better known as "Ferdie" Bergh, was a South African rugby union player.[1][2]

Biography

[edit]

He was originally from Stellenbosch, well known as a Springbok rugby breeding ground.[2] He studied at Stellenbosch University, after which he went to Potchefstroom. He played his first provincial rugby for the Western Transvaal and after that he played for four more provinces.[3]

Ferdie Bergh gained 17 caps for South Africa between 1931 and 1938, scoring seven tries in that period.[1][2]

Willem Ferdinand van Rheede van Oudtschoorn Bergh may hold the record for having the longest name in international rugby,[1] comprising 43 letters in total, including seven words and five names ("Van Rheede" and "Van Oudtschoorn" counting as single names.

He is most famous for scoring the winning try in the only test rugby series ever won by South Africa in New Zealand.

Test history

[edit]
No. Opponents Results
(SA 1st)
Position Tries Dates Venue
1.  Wales 8–3 Lock 1 5 Dec 1931 St. Helen's, Swansea
2.  Ireland 8–3 Lock 19 Dec 1931 Lansdowne Road, Dublin
3.  England 7–0 Lock 1 2 Jan 1932 Twickenham, London
4.  Scotland 6–3 Lock 16 Jan 1932 Murrayfield, Edinburgh
5.  Australia 17–3 Number 8 2 8 Jul 1933 Newlands, Cape Town
6.  Australia 6–21 Number 8 22 Jul 1933 Kingsmead, Durban
7.  Australia 12–3 Lock 12 Aug 1933 Ellis Park, Johannesburg
8.  Australia 11–0 Lock 26 Aug 1933 Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth
9.  Australia 4–15 Lock 2 Sep 1933 Springbok Park, Bloemfontein
10.  Australia 9–5 Lock 1 26 Jun 1937 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
11.  Australia 26–17 Lock 1 17 Jul 1937 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
12.  New Zealand 7–13 Lock 14 Aug 1937 Athletic Park, Wellington
13.  New Zealand 13–6 Number 8 4 Sep 1937 Lancaster Park, Christchurch
14.  New Zealand 17–6 Number 8 1 25 Sep 1937 Eden Park, Auckland
15. United Kingdom British Isles 26–12 Lock 6 Aug 1938 Ellis Park, Johannesburg
16. United Kingdom British Isles 19–3 Lock 3 Sep 1938 Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth
17. United Kingdom British Isles 16–21 Lock 10 Sep 1938 Newlands, Cape Town

See also

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Cotton, Fran (Ed.) (1984) The Book of Rugby Disasters & Bizarre Records. (Compiled by Chris Rhys. London. Century Publishing. ISBN 0-7126-0911-3)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Cotton, p74
  2. ^ a b c Scrum.com player profile, retrieved 20 February 2010
  3. ^ Craven, Daniel Hartman (1980). Die groot rugbygesin van die Maties. Kaapstad: G. & S. pp. 152–153. ISBN 0620048794. OCLC 86067195.
[edit]