Mannetjies Roux
Encyclopedia
Francois du Toit "Mannetjies" Roux (born 12 April 1939) is a former South African
rugby
player. He was capped 27 times; 6 times at wing and 21 times at centre, scoring 6 tries.
, he went to Stellenbosch University
; a institution known for serving as a conveyor belt of future Springboks. Later on he joined the South African Air Force in Pretoria where he was a Harvard
instructor.
He won his first cap, at wing, against Wales
in Cardiff in 1960, which the Springboks won 3-0 thanks to a Keith Oxlee penalty. The selectors chose him as a wing on occasions as they thought him difficult to combine with in mid-field.
He possessed a great deal of pace and was a ferocious defender, despite his lack of size. He was perhaps best known for his tackle on England and British Lions flyhalf Richard Sharp
, while playing for Northern Transvaal (the Blue Bulls
) in 1962, which broke Sharp's jaw or cheekbone (sources vary).
Controversy seemed to follow him almost throughout his career, with Roux achieving notoriety on the demo-ridden 1969/70 Springbok tour
of the United Kingdom for kicking one protester in the backside and hurling the ball at another.
to only their third Currie Cup
title to date (having also represented Western Province
at the start of his career, in addition to Northern Transvaal), he eventually returned to the town of his birth.
He and his wife Charlotte are currently running a shop and museum called Victoria Trading Post in Victoria West.
, who apparently found his cockiness quite amusing. The "s" at the end was added only much later by his wife. The addition of the "s" is affectionate.
During a conversation, Mannetjies referred to the house in Victoria West where he played as a young boy. The high stoep (porch) around the house made the domestic worker to warn him with “ Mannetjie pasop dat jy nie daar afval nie” ("Mannetjie watch out that you don’t fall down from there"). Follow link to see picture http://mykaroopeaceofmind.blogspot.com/
The Afrikaans artist Laurika Rauch
has a well-known song with the title "Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux" ("Send Greetings to Mannetjies Roux").
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 27 times; 6 times at wing and 21 times at centre, scoring 6 tries.
Rugby career
Born in Victoria West and educated at Paarl Boys HighPaarl Boys' High School
Boys' High School, known in Afrikaans as Hoër Jongenskool Paarl is one of the oldest schools in South Africa. Built in 1868 the school's rich history is filled with tradition and pride. The school is situated at the heart of Paarl, a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa...
, he went to Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
; a institution known for serving as a conveyor belt of future Springboks. Later on he joined the South African Air Force in Pretoria where he was a Harvard
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
instructor.
He won his first cap, at wing, against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
in Cardiff in 1960, which the Springboks won 3-0 thanks to a Keith Oxlee penalty. The selectors chose him as a wing on occasions as they thought him difficult to combine with in mid-field.
He possessed a great deal of pace and was a ferocious defender, despite his lack of size. He was perhaps best known for his tackle on England and British Lions flyhalf Richard Sharp
Richard Sharp
Richard Adrian William Sharp from Cornwall, was educated at Blundell's School and at Balliol College, University of Oxford. He was a former Cornish rugby player at Redruth R.F.C., Wasps FC, Bristol FC and England rugby union fly-half and captain. He played for England while at Oxford and led...
, while playing for Northern Transvaal (the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
) in 1962, which broke Sharp's jaw or cheekbone (sources vary).
Controversy seemed to follow him almost throughout his career, with Roux achieving notoriety on the demo-ridden 1969/70 Springbok tour
1969-70 South Africa rugby union tour
- Matches :...
of the United Kingdom for kicking one protester in the backside and hurling the ball at another.
Retirement
Retiring in 1970, after he led Griqualand WestWildeklawer Griquas
The GWK Griquas are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. Their home ground is Hoffe Park Stadium, known for sponsorship reasons as GWK Park in Kimberley, and they draw their players from Northern Cape Province. They were previously known as...
to only their third Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
title to date (having also represented Western Province
Western Province (rugby team)
DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team...
at the start of his career, in addition to Northern Transvaal), he eventually returned to the town of his birth.
He and his wife Charlotte are currently running a shop and museum called Victoria Trading Post in Victoria West.
Trivia
According to legend, he got his nickname (originally "Mannetjie", Afrikaans for little man) from a domestic workerDomestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
, who apparently found his cockiness quite amusing. The "s" at the end was added only much later by his wife. The addition of the "s" is affectionate.
During a conversation, Mannetjies referred to the house in Victoria West where he played as a young boy. The high stoep (porch) around the house made the domestic worker to warn him with “ Mannetjie pasop dat jy nie daar afval nie” ("Mannetjie watch out that you don’t fall down from there"). Follow link to see picture http://mykaroopeaceofmind.blogspot.com/
The Afrikaans artist Laurika Rauch
Laurika Rauch
Laurika Rauch is a South African singer who sings in the Afrikaans as well as English language.She had a hit single in 1979 with Kinders van die Wind , written by the late Koos du Plessis...
has a well-known song with the title "Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux" ("Send Greetings to Mannetjies Roux").
See also
- 1962 British Lions tour to South Africa1962 British Lions tour to South AfricaIn 1962 the British Lions rugby union team toured Southern and Eastern Africa. Overall the tourists played twenty-five matches, winning sixteen, losing five and drawing four....
- 1969-70 South Africa rugby union tour1969-70 South Africa rugby union tour- Matches :...