Springbok killed
A. J. van der Merwe, the nuggety hooker who played so well for the Springboks during their tour of New Zealand in 1956, has been killed in a road accident. He was 41, and he left a wife and eight children. During the 1956 tour, van der Merwe won a reputation for durability. The second string hooker, M. S. Hanekom, received a leg injury in Australia, and van der Merwe played in each of the first 10 matches in New Zealand.
He played 17 games in this country, including all four tests. As well, he played in three tests against the Lions in 1955 and one against the French in 1958.
Van der Merwe came from the wine-growing district of Boland and was a member of the famous provincial front row which also included A. C. Koch and P. S. du Toit. These three hardy men all appeared for Boland against the 1960 All Blacks.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 15
Word Count
157Springbok killed Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 15
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