George Daneel
Encyclopedia
George Murray Daneel was a South African
rugby
player. He was capped eight times, scoring two tries. He was known as being the oldest Springbok rugby player.
(now in the Northern Cape) on 29 August 1904 to Marthinus and Charlotte Daneel, and was one of seven children. His father was a Dutch Reformed Church
minister who had played rugby for Stellenbosch University against Bill Maclagan
's 1891 British team
. He also had two other relatives who played at a high level; his uncle Henry Daneel was a member of Paul Roos'
1906-07 team, while one of his cousins, Louis Louw, played on the 1912-13 tour under the captaincy of Billy Millar.
When his father was at Victoria West
, Daneel attended the local school, but had to leave in his final year as he was the only senior pupil left and that the standards were not quite up to scratch. His father eventually sent him to school in Robertson, due to the boarding there being inexpensive.
He studied theology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 1922 and 1923, failing both years, but managed to complete his final year at Stellenbosch University in 1929.
At provincial level, he represented Western Province and Transvaal. During World War II after he had already stopped playing, he was also persuaded to play for and captain Western Transvaal after their regular captain Nic Bierman became ill.
He won his first cap against New Zealand in 1928 and his last against Scotland
in 1932.
Oxford Group
and decided to give up rugby to be a part of the Moral Re-Armament
, although he still coached on occasion. His work with the movement made him particularly unpopular with the government of the time.
Later he followed in his father's footsteps and himself became a religious minister and served as chief chaplain to the South African Forces during World War II
.
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He was capped eight times, scoring two tries. He was known as being the oldest Springbok rugby player.
Personal history
Daneel was born in Calvinia, Cape ProvinceCape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
(now in the Northern Cape) on 29 August 1904 to Marthinus and Charlotte Daneel, and was one of seven children. His father was a Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
minister who had played rugby for Stellenbosch University against Bill Maclagan
Bill Maclagan
William Edward "Bill" Maclagan was a Scottish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for London Scottish F.C....
's 1891 British team
1891 British Lions tour to South Africa
The 1891 British Isles tour to South Africa was the first British Isles rugby union tour of South Africa and only the second overseas tour conducted by a joint British team. Between 9 July and 7 September, the team played 20 games, including three tests against the South Africa national rugby union...
. He also had two other relatives who played at a high level; his uncle Henry Daneel was a member of Paul Roos'
Paul Roos (rugby player)
Paul Johannes Roos was one of the first South African Springbok rugby union captains and led the first South African rugby team to tour overseas – to Britain in 1906...
1906-07 team, while one of his cousins, Louis Louw, played on the 1912-13 tour under the captaincy of Billy Millar.
When his father was at Victoria West
Victoria West
Victoria West is a town in the central Karoo region of South Africa's Northern Cape province. It is situated on the main N12 route, at an elevation of . It is the seat of the Ubuntu Local Municipality within the Pixley ka Seme DM....
, Daneel attended the local school, but had to leave in his final year as he was the only senior pupil left and that the standards were not quite up to scratch. His father eventually sent him to school in Robertson, due to the boarding there being inexpensive.
He studied theology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 1922 and 1923, failing both years, but managed to complete his final year at Stellenbosch University in 1929.
Rugby career
While still at school he played halfback, alternating between scrum-half and fly-half on opposite sides of the field. After arriving at the University of Cape Town (UCT) with the intention of studying theology, he came to the realization that he had no future at scrum-half and subsequently switched to number 8.At provincial level, he represented Western Province and Transvaal. During World War II after he had already stopped playing, he was also persuaded to play for and captain Western Transvaal after their regular captain Nic Bierman became ill.
He won his first cap against New Zealand in 1928 and his last against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in 1932.
Life after rugby
On the 1931-32 Springbok tour of the UK and Ireland, he came into contact with Frank Buchman'sFrank N. D. Buchman
Franklin Nathaniel Daniel Buchman , best known as Dr. or Rev. Frank Buchman, was a Protestant Christian evangelist who founded the Oxford Group...
Oxford Group
Oxford Group
The Oxford Group was a Christian movement that had a following in Europe, China, Africa, Australia, Scandinavia and America in the 1920s and 30s. It was initiated by an American Lutheran pastor, Frank Buchman, who was of Swiss descent...
and decided to give up rugby to be a part of the Moral Re-Armament
Moral Re-Armament
Moral Re-Armament was an international Christian moral and spiritual movement that, in 1938, developed from the American minister Frank Buchman's Oxford Group. Buchman, a Lutheran, headed MRA for 23 years, from 1938 until his death in 1961...
, although he still coached on occasion. His work with the movement made him particularly unpopular with the government of the time.
Later he followed in his father's footsteps and himself became a religious minister and served as chief chaplain to the South African Forces during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
External links
- George Daneel on espnscrum.com
- George Daneel at the Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame