Ferdie Bergh
Birth name | Willem Ferdinand van Rheede van Oudtschoorn Bergh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 2 November 1906 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Stellenbosch, Cape Colony | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 28 May 1973 | (aged 66)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Belville, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 97 kg (214 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Stellenbosch University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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. | ![]() |
8–3 | Lock | 1 | 5 Dec 1931 | St. Helen's, Swansea |
2. | ![]() |
8–3 | Lock | 19 Dec 1931 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | |
3. | ![]() |
7–0 | Lock | 1 | 2 Jan 1932 | Twickenham, London |
4. | ![]() |
6–3 | Lock | 16 Jan 1932 | Murrayfield, Edinburgh | |
5. | ![]() |
17–3 | Number 8 | 2 | 8 Jul 1933 | Newlands, Cape Town |
6. | ![]() |
6–21 | Number 8 | 22 Jul 1933 | Kingsmead, Durban | |
7. | ![]() |
12–3 | Lock | 12 Aug 1933 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | |
8. | ![]() |
11–0 | Lock | 26 Aug 1933 | Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth | |
9. | ![]() |
4–15 | Lock | 2 Sep 1933 | Springbok Park, Bloemfontein | |
10. | ![]() |
9–5 | Lock | 1 | 26 Jun 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
11. | ![]() |
26–17 | Lock | 1 | 17 Jul 1937 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
12. | ![]() |
7–13 | Lock | 14 Aug 1937 | Athletic Park, Wellington | |
13. | ![]() |
13–6 | Number 8 | 4 Sep 1937 | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | |
14. | ![]() |
17–6 | Number 8 | 1 | 25 Sep 1937 | Eden Park, Auckland |
15. | ![]() |
26–12 | Lock | 6 Aug 1938 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | |
16. | ![]() |
19–3 | Lock | 3 Sep 1938 | Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth | |
17. | ![]() |
16–21 | Lock | 10 Sep 1938 | Newlands, Cape Town |
See also
[edit]- List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 228
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]External links
[edit]- Player profile on scrum.com