34 Facts About Danie Craven

Daniel Hartman Craven was a South African rugby union player, national coach, national and international rugby administrator, academic, and author.

In 1969, Danie Craven sparked outrage among anti-apartheid activists when he allegedly said, "There will be a black springbok over my dead body".

Danie Craven denied saying this and in his later career promoted coloured training facilities.

Danie Craven earned doctorates in ethnology, psychology and physical education.

In 1929 Danie Craven enrolled at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape.

Related searches

Danie Craven initially registered as a theology student, but later switched to Social Sciences and Social Anthropology.

Danie Craven lodged in Wilgenhof Men's Residence, following in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather, George Nathaniel Hayward.

An all-round athlete, Danie Craven represented his university in rugby, swimming, water polo and baseball.

Danie Craven participated in track and field, and played cricket, tennis, and soccer.

Danie Craven obtained his BA as well as a MA and PhD in ethnology at Stellenbosch.

Danie Craven was appointed as Stellenbosch's first professor of physical education in 1949, and served in that capacity until 1975.

Danie Craven coached the school's rugby side, and while there he was selected for the 1937 Springbok tour.

Danie Craven joined the Union Defence Force in 1938 as director of physical education and was sent to Europe to study physical education in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, and Britain.

Danie Craven was appointed head of physical education at the South African military academy with the rank of major.

When his section was established as a separate Physical Training Brigade in 1947, Danie Craven was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and director of the brigade.

Danie Craven was selected as a Springbok in 1931 before he had made his provincial debut for Western Province in 1932.

Danie Craven played his first test match on 5 December 1931 as scrum half at the age of 21 against Wales at St Helens, Swansea.

The opportunity came because Danie Craven implemented advice that he had received at Stellenbosch from coach Markotter.

Danie Craven's advice enabled Craven to choose between captain Osler, who wanted the ball to be passed to him, and leader of the forwards Boy Louw, who demanded that the ball stay with the forwards.

Danie Craven became the president of the South African Rugby Board in 1956.

Danie Craven was a member of the International Rugby Board from 1957 and served as its chairman on several occasions.

Danie Craven managed to maintain links with other rugby playing nations during the years of South Africa's sporting isolation through his position with the IRB.

Danie Craven feared that isolation would negatively affect the standard of Springbok rugby.

In 1988 Danie Craven met leaders of the African National Congress in Harare, Zimbabwe in a bold bid to return to global competition.

Danie Craven was SARFU's first chairman until he died in 1993, having served for an unbroken 37 years at the head of South African rugby.

Related searches

Danie Craven was from the Eastern Cape, a teacher, and daughter of the member of parliament for Steytlerville, George Hayward.

On 30 May 1975 Danie Craven married Martha Jacoba Vermeulen, the widow of Cape Town detective Dirk Vermeulen.

Danie Craven had a dog named Bliksem which accompanied him everywhere, even to rugby practices.

Danie Craven was accepted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997, the first of 9 South Africans to date.

In 1981 Danie Craven received the State President's Award for Exceptional Service, as well as the honorary citizenship of the city of Stellenbosch.

Danie Craven was made an honorary life president of the French Rugby Federation in 1992.

Danie Craven is often remembered for his quirky and controversial statements.

Danie Craven denied that he had ever said that people of colour would be Springboks "over my dead body".

Apart from his academic dissertations which were referred to above, Danie Craven wrote numerous books as solo and co-author on rugby, including his autobiography, rugby terms for translators, and how to organize a tennis club.