Danie Craven
Encyclopedia
Daniël Hartman Craven more famously known as Danie Craven or simply Doc Craven, is a former Western Province
, Eastern Province
, Northern Transvaal
and Springbok
rugby union
player as well as arguably South Africa's best and best-known rugby administrator. He also coached the Springboks between 1949 and 1956, becoming one of the most successful Springbok coaches of all time.
, Free State
province, South Africa and attended the Lindley High School there. Later he studied at Stellenbosch University
in the Western Province where he received his Doctorate
and eventually also lectured, and played for the Western Province rugby union team.
He married twice and had four children.
During his stay at Stellenbosch he became the residence principle of Wilgenhof.
, Swansea
. His last test match was on 10 September 1938 as captain (also as scrum half) at the age of 27 against the British Lions
at Newlands
, Cape Town
. During the 1930s he was one of the world's leading scrumhalves, but the start of the Second World War
in 1939 probably ended his career prematurely.
Danie Craven joined the defence force in 1938. During the Second World War an advertisement was later placed in Afrikaans language newspapers to attract men to join the Union Defence Force. It showed Danie Craven in his uniform, looking into the distance and announcing, 'I am playing in the biggest Springbok team ever; join me and score the most important try of your life.'
After his rugby-playing career ended, he became a national selector until he was appointed coach in 1949. He started his coaching career with a bang, winning 10 matches in a row, including a 4-0 whitewash of New Zealand in their 1949 tour to South Africa, and leaving the Springboks undefeated from 1949 to 1952. Under his guidance the Springboks played 23 tests, winning 17 (73%), an achievement that makes him one of South Africa's greatest coaches in history.
Craven became the president of the South African Rugby Board
(SARB) in 1956. He was also a member of the International Rugby Board
was its chairman on several occasions.
The last part of Craven's chairmanship of the SARB occurred during the country's most tumultuous years. Rugby had become the national sport of white South Africans and a symbol of Afrikaner
power. In the 1970s and 1980s, the outlawed African National Congress
allied with overseas anti-apartheid movements succeeded in getting South Africa isolated from sporting contact with the rest of the world. Of all the sanctions aimed at South Africa, none upset the white population more than the ban on rugby internationals. In 1988, in a bold bid to return to global competition, Craven met leaders of the African National Congress
(ANC) in Zimbabwe
and entered an unprecedented deal to form a single rugby association fielding an integrated team for foreign tournaments. Many right-wing whites in South Africa attacked Craven for meeting with the ANC which they regarded as treason, and then-president P.W. Botha denounced the move. Although the deal did not lead to the immediate end of the sporting isolation, it paved the way for the formation of the unified body, the South African Rugby Football Union
(SARFU) in 1992, with Craven as its first chairman, until he died in 1993, having served for an unbroken 37 years at the head of the sport.
Danie Craven was accepted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame
(IRHOF) in 1997, the first of 9 South Africans to date.
In 2007 Doc Craven became the third inductee into the IRB Hall of Fame
, only preceded by Rugby School
and William Webb Ellis
, the alleged inventor of Rugby.
The South African Craven Week
schools rugby competition is named after him, as well as the Danie Craven Stadium
and Danie Craven Rugby Museum in Stellenbosch.
Doc Craven also had a dog named "Bliksem" (Afrikaans for "rascal") who is also depicted at his statue in Stellenbosch.
Doc Craven also said "When Maties and Western Province rugby are strong, then Springbok rugby is strong."
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...
, Eastern Province
Falcons (rugby team)
The Falcons, or Valke in Afrikaans, are a South African rugby union team in Gauteng province that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup tournaments....
, Northern Transvaal
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...
and Springbok
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 union
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 as well as arguably South Africa's best and best-known rugby administrator. He also coached the Springboks between 1949 and 1956, becoming one of the most successful Springbok coaches of all time.
Personal life
He was born in LindleyLindley, Free State
Lindley is a small town situated on the banks of the Vals River in the eastern region of the Free State province of South Africa. It was established by an American Presbyterian missionary named Daniel Lindley, who was the first ordained minister to the Voortrekkers in Natal.The settlement of...
, Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
province, South Africa and attended the Lindley High School there. Later he studied at 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....
in the Western Province where he received his Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
and eventually also lectured, and played for the Western Province rugby union team.
He married twice and had four children.
During his stay at Stellenbosch he became the residence principle of Wilgenhof.
Career
He played his first test match on 5 December 1931 (as scrum half) at the age of 21 against at St HelensSt Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
. His last test match was on 10 September 1938 as captain (also as scrum half) at the age of 27 against the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
at Newlands
Newlands Stadium
Newlands Stadium, currently referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa.The stadium currently has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all seater venue....
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. During the 1930s he was one of the world's leading scrumhalves, but the start of the Second World War
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...
in 1939 probably ended his career prematurely.
Danie Craven joined the defence force in 1938. During the Second World War an advertisement was later placed in Afrikaans language newspapers to attract men to join the Union Defence Force. It showed Danie Craven in his uniform, looking into the distance and announcing, 'I am playing in the biggest Springbok team ever; join me and score the most important try of your life.'
After his rugby-playing career ended, he became a national selector until he was appointed coach in 1949. He started his coaching career with a bang, winning 10 matches in a row, including a 4-0 whitewash of New Zealand in their 1949 tour to South Africa, and leaving the Springboks undefeated from 1949 to 1952. Under his guidance the Springboks played 23 tests, winning 17 (73%), an achievement that makes him one of South Africa's greatest coaches in history.
Craven became the president of the South African Rugby Board
South African Rugby Board
The South African Rugby Board was the rugby union governing body of white South Africans between 1889 and 1992. The governing of white and coloured rugby union was handled separately during South Africa under Apartheid....
(SARB) in 1956. He was also a member of the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
was its chairman on several occasions.
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
power. In the 1970s and 1980s, the outlawed African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
allied with overseas anti-apartheid movements succeeded in getting South Africa isolated from sporting contact with the rest of the world. Of all the sanctions aimed at South Africa, none upset the white population more than the ban on rugby internationals. In 1988, in a bold bid to return to global competition, Craven met leaders of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and entered an unprecedented deal to form a single rugby association fielding an integrated team for foreign tournaments. Many right-wing whites in South Africa attacked Craven for meeting with the ANC which they regarded as treason, and then-president P.W. Botha denounced the move. Although the deal did not lead to the immediate end of the sporting isolation, it paved the way for the formation of the unified body, the South African Rugby Football Union
South African Rugby Union
The South African Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board...
(SARFU) in 1992, with Craven as its first chairman, until he died in 1993, having served for an unbroken 37 years at the head of the sport.
Danie Craven was accepted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame
International Rugby Hall of Fame
The International Rugby Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for rugby union. It was created in 1997 in New Zealand and is run as a charitable trust with an address at Chiswick in London. Most of the trustees are also inductees. IRHOF accepts new inductees every two years...
(IRHOF) in 1997, the first of 9 South Africans to date.
In 2007 Doc Craven became the third inductee into the IRB Hall of Fame
IRB Hall of Fame
The IRB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Rugby Board that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The IRB Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other individuals...
, only preceded by Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and William Webb Ellis
William Webb Ellis
Rev. William Webb Ellis was an Anglican clergyman who is famous for allegedly being the inventor of Rugby football whilst a pupil at Rugby School....
, the alleged inventor of Rugby.
The South African Craven Week
Craven Week
The Craven Week is an annual rugby union tournament organised for schoolboys in the Republic of South Africa. The tournament started in July 1964, and is named after the legendary Springbok rugby union player and coach Dr Danie Craven....
schools rugby competition is named after him, as well as the Danie Craven Stadium
Danie Craven Stadium
Danie Craven Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at Coetzenburg in Stellenbosch, South Africa. It is part of the Stellenbosch University's sport facilities. The stadium was named after rugby doyen and Springbok scrum half Danie Craven. The stadium holds 16,000 people and was built in 1979.The Danie...
and Danie Craven Rugby Museum in Stellenbosch.
Doc Craven also had a dog named "Bliksem" (Afrikaans for "rascal") who is also depicted at his statue in Stellenbosch.
Doc Craven also said "When Maties and Western Province rugby are strong, then Springbok rugby is strong."