Oupa Versfeld

Marthinus "Oupa" Versfeld (15 May 1860 – 1 September 1931) was a South African international rugby union player.[1]

Oupa Versfeld

Birth name	Marthinus Versfeld
Date of birth	15 May 1860
Place of birth	Cape Town, South Africa
Date of death	1 September 1931 (aged 71)
Place of death	Cape Town, South Africa
School	SACS
Notable relative(s)	Hasie Versfeld (brother), Loftus Versfeld (brother), John Versfeld (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) – Hamiltons () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1884–1892 Western Province () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1891 South Africa 3 (0)

Early life and family

Born in Constantia and educated in Cape Town, where he attended SACS, Versfeld was the oldest of five brothers, four of whom played representative rugby. He and his second youngest brother, Hasie represented South Africa. His brother Loftus played for Transvaal and as an administrator was a founding member of the Eastern Province Rugby Union and of the Pretoria Rugby Subunion, which in 1938 became Northern Transvaal. The rugby stadium, Loftus Versfeld is named after him. The middle brother, Jan Hendrik Christoffel (John) represented Western Province from 1885 to 1889. All four brothers were members and played for the Hamiltons RFC, based in Sea Point, Cape Town.[2] Versfeld died in 1931, in Cape Town, at the age of 71.

Rugby career

Versfeld played provincial rugby with Western Province and made his debut for the union in 1884.[3] In 1885 all four brothers were in the Hamilton side that won the inaugural WP Grand Challenge Cup. In the same year they were on the Combined Cape Town team that competed in the first interprovincial competition at Grahamstown. Oupa and Hasie played alongside John in a Cape Town XV against Bill MacLagan's 1891 British tourists. Hasie became the first South African to score a try against an international touring side in Cape Town's 1–15 loss at Newlands on 9 July 1891.[2]

Versfeld made his only Test appearances for South Africa against the touring 1891 British Isles. He played, as a forward, in all three Test matches of what was South Africa's first series as a Test nation. His brother, Hasie Versfeld, was also selected to play in the 3rd Test of the series, making the Versfelds the first brothers to represent South Africa.[3]

Test history

No.	Opponents	Results(SA 1st)	Position	Tries	Date	Venue
1.	British Isles	0–4	Forward		30 Jul 1891	Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth
2.	British Isles	0–3	Forward		29 Aug 1891	Eclectic Cricket Ground, Kimberley
3.	British Isles	0–4	Forward		5 Sep 1891	Newlands, Cape Town

See also

• List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 7

References

1. "Marthinus Versfeld". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
2. Parker, A. C. (1983). W.P. Rugby : centenary, 1883-1983. Western Province Rugby Football Union (South Africa) (1st ed.). Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa: WPRFU. pp. 18–21. ISBN 0-620-06555-9. OCLC 54188953.CS1 maint: date and year (link)
3. "Oupa Versfeld". Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-07-16.