Gabriël Frederick “Abie” Malan
Former Springbok hooker and captain Gabriël Frederick Malan, otherwise known as Abie, has passed away at the age of 78 on Thursday.
Malan played for the Springboks in the infamous 1965 Test against the All Blacks at Athletic Park in Wellington, which the Springboks won 6-3.
He wore the Green and Gold for 18 Tests, scoring one try, between 1958 and 1965, captaining the team in four matches, whilst playing in another 26 tour matches for the Springboks.
Gabriël Frederick “Abie” Malan
Malan did many things in rugby – played for and captained the Springboks, became a national selector and managed the Springboks at home and on an overseas tour, a strong, decisive but genial man. His achievements came a long way from his birthplace, Kenhardt in the Northern Cape, a small town in a sheepfarming area about 120 miles from Upington.
While still at Hoërskool Kenhardt, Malan played for the town team and for the Oranje Subunion. School finished, he went down to Stellenbosch in 1954 and stayed a Matie for the rest of his life. His last visit was to Ian Kirkpatrick’s funeral when he made the long journey from Upington and back by bus – to be there for his team-mate’s funeral. Malan was the loyalest of men.
In 1955 Malan, a hooker with the attributes of a tough loose forward, played for the Stellenbosch 1st XV, was in the Southern Universities team that lost 20-17 to the British & Irish Lions and made his debut for Western Province for whom he played till 1960. After that he moved up to Vereeniging and played for Transvaal from 1961 to 1965, an established Springbok by then.
At the age of 22 he made his Springbok debut against France. It was a good year for him. He played for South African Universities against France and then, after the drawn Test at Newlands, he played in the second Test at Ellis Park when France won 9-5 and so won the series. He ended the year on a tour to Europe with the Southern Universities team.
In 1960 he played in three Tests against the All Blacks, toured with the Springboks on their Grand Slam tour to the UK, Ireland and France. On the tour he hurt the knee that was operated on this year. Despite his injured knee and the arrival of a replacement, Malan played on in five more matches, including the Tests against Scotland and France. In 1962 he played in three Tests against the British & Irish Lions and then in 1963 captained the Springboks in the first two Tests against a great Wallaby side, was dropped for the third Test in a series when Tommy Bedford was the only forward to play in all four Tests, and then captained them again in the fourth Test when the Springboks saved the series. He was captain again against Wales in 1964 and then went under Dawie de Villiers on the 1965 tour to Australasia when the Springboks won just one Test out of six. Malan played in two in Australia and the first two in New Zealand. In all he played in 18 Tests, a large number for those times, and in 26 tour matches for the Springboks. He was South Africa’s 29th Test captain.
Waratahs and Wallaby prop, Benn Robinson, earlier this year returned Abie’s 1963 playing jersey to its owner from his 1963 opponent, Jim Miller with whom he had swapped at the time.
Playing days over, Abie was a Transvaal selector and team manager, then a national selector and in 1992 the manager of the Springbok team that came on wobbly legs out of isolation to play at home against the All Blacks and the Wallabies and overseas against France in two Tests and England. It was not an easy time. The Springboks won one of those five Tests. For the manager the French part of the tour, which included nine matches, was a difficult experience indeed.
After that Malan went back to his Orange River oasis and farmed.
Statistics:
Date of Birth: 18 November 1935
Place of birth: Kenhardt
School: Kenhardt
Springbok No: 345
Debut Province: Western Province
Physical: 1.82m, 86.2kg
Date of Death: 23 October 2014 (Age 78)
Test summary: 18 Tests, 1 Test try
First Test: 16 August 1958 Age:22 Hooker against France at Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Last Test: 21 August 1965 Age:29 Hooker against New Zealand at Carisbrook, Dunedin
Test history:
What Doc Danie Craven said about Abie Malan:
I spotted Abie together with Piet du Toit in the Stellenbosch Under 19 team. Abie came from the Northwest-Bushmanland, and it was obvious from the outset that he had a wonderful fighting spirit.
While they were on tour of the UK and France in 1960 / 1961, the Bok management asked me to send Bobby Johns over as a replacement hooker; Abie’s knee was ‘completely finished’. I told them that I didn’t think Abie would give up his place in the team lightly, that he would play even if he had to put splints on his leg to keep his knee in place.
That is exactly what happened and poor Bobby Johns had to pay the price of this man’s grit and determination as he never did get into the side. These qualities show up in Abie today as a selector – outspoken, straight as a die, says what he wants to say, crawls to nobody.
He’s made a huge success of his life and career and he’s done it on his own. It’s that same grit and determination which he showed on the field that has made him the success he is today.
Abie was appointed manager of the Nampak tour to South America. With his natural ability to communicate easily with both players and administrators he made a wonderful impression.
Rus in vrede, ou grote!
En so word daar aan die geskiedenis se groot bos gekap… en nog ‘n kalander val om!
Dankie wat jy vir Suid-Afrika en Springbok rugby beteken het!
@ grootblousmile: ja totally. Endorse that GB. Great player. Great leader. Great Springbok. Legend.
Ek het Oom Abie geken, hy en my oorlede Pa was vriende en ek was dikwels by hom aan op Grootdrink, hy het n KWV kwota gehad destyds en het nie Roodeberg gedrink nie, net brandewyn. So, ek kon van die wyn by hom oorneem. Baie rugbystories gesels in daai rooidakhuis se kombuis.
Nog n groot gees het ons verlaat…
2 @ Tassies:
Oom Abie Malan was a bit before my time… I was only 1 when he played in that 1965 Test against the All Blacks at Athletic Park in Wellington, which the Springboks won 6-3.
But I often listened to my late dad, GBS Maksimus, speak about the heros of yesteryear and by all accounts Abie was one of those biggies!
My dad also played hooker, also donned the Free State jersey in the No 2 position… so he liked to talk about the great hookers of his day and age.
3 @ Pietman:
Hello Pieta,
Om eerlik te wees, wie ken jy NIE en saam met wie het jy NIE gedrink nie?
Die Koningin van Ingeland, ou Bettie, het jou dalk ontglip, maar ek sal nie geld daarop verwed nie!
Flok, jy het al selfs saam met die grote GBS gedrink… hahaha
@ grootblousmile:
Maar jy het nie vir Bettie ontglip nie
Ja broer, ek het baie daar in die NKaap rondgedrentel, my oom was geneesheer op Kenhardt en Oom Abie-hulle se huisdokter, so ek het vakansietye daar rondom die spreekkamer rondgehang saam met nefies en so van kleintyd af die boere leer ken. Baie snags hom help bestuur wanneer hy uitgeroep was in die distrik, ek het op daai groen Zephyr en plaaspaaie my drywersopleiding gehad, en ek moes laat waai!
6 @ Pietman:
Ek staan altyd verstom oor jou stories en die magdom mense wat jy al ontmoet het.
Jou brein mag NOOOOIT vrot nie, ons sal hom moet bevries en bewaar… sal maklik wees want hy is klaar gepekel in alkohol…. hehehehe
Gepraat van Zephyrs… oorle GBS Maksimus was bekend dat hy sedert 1967 NOOOOIT sonder ‘n Mercedes of heelwat van hulle was nie… maar sy kar voor die klomp Mercedeses, was ‘n Zephyr.
Ek onthou hy het sulke vlerkies agter gehad…. dink dit was a Zephyr Zodiac.
Die was ons almal in ‘n ongeluk mee betrokke op die ou pad tussen Pretoria en Dronkwordspruit, op pad terug van vakansie met die karrevaan agteraan gehak… en die tjor is daar afgeskryf… toe word die eerste Mercedes, so ligbruin ene uitgetrek, uit die boks uit!
@ grootblousmile:
Nee wat, brein raak op nou…en het die mense van daai wereld verleer, te lank al in die buitewereld
My oorle Pa het op ‘n stadium paar van die versamel…
Mercedes Benz 190 SL 1958
Attachment:
Hy het onder andere ‘n rooi ene en ‘n off-white ene gehad.
Ek onthou ‘n ou met die van Swart, het hom een keer bedonner toe hy 2 van die gelyk gekoop het..
Hy het die blikskottel hard gedonner jong!
Attachment:
@ grootblousmile:
Blikslaer, daai goed is skaars nou…en miljoene werd. Daar is n versamelaar in Brooklyn, Pretoria, wat twee het. Goldstein, tandarts.
@ grootblousmile:
Btw, waar is Nortier, seker besig by die nuwe werk?
12 & 13 @ Pietman:
Ek weetie waar Nortie is nie.
Ek en my Pa het saam krokodiltrane gehuil die dag toe hy syne verkoop het.
Ek weetie eers hoekom hy hulle verkoop het nie, ek weet hy het nie geld gekort nie.
Ons het al daar in Kings Highway gebly daai tyd en my Pa het ‘n motorsaak gehad daar in Pretorius Straat, waar die Momentumgebou nou staan (oorkant die agterkant van die Staatsteater)… Pretoria Motors… langs Lotters Pine Meubels
Hy het hulle gekoop hier in 1979 omgewing rond.. vir R 5 000.00 en R 6 000.00… twee waarvan ek die pryse weet… die 2 wat Swart hom mee verneuk het!
Ek droom daarvan om eendag vir my so ene te koop, met beide die harde en soft top!
moving ab and jp up the order really leaves our tail vulnerable.
Duminy has batted really well with the tale of late, why mess with that? even leaving fighting players like mclaren and robbie p out and our tale (bottom 5/6) can just be hit or miss mostly miss.
condolences to Albie and his closest.
On the occasion of the 1st rugby Test I witnessed (South Africa vs. Australia, 7 September 1963, Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth), Abie Malan was the Bok captain & he also scored a try that day. I don’t remember much of the play, but I remember the excitement of my 1st Test. But mostly I remember a virtually all white crowd, except for the small stadium in the south east corner crammed with rugby fans that weren’t white … I could not understand that they did not support our beloved Bokke. My father & I were sitting on & watching the Test from the elevated grass embankment diagonally behind the poles (posts) & opposite that small stadium. The perimeter fence was behind us & behind that perimeter fence were parked buses that had previously transported from the townships those (for me then strangely) Wallaby-supporting South Africans. Come to think of it, the fenced off area of the Boet Erasmus stadium was large, & yet I did not find it strange that some buses (and some cars) for the white folks were parked inside the precincts of the Boet Erasmus complex, but not those of the other folk. My father & I & the majority of the spectators applauded & cheered that 22-6 Bok victory, but not the fans from that small, crammed stadium, & as they filed past the outside of that perimeter fence towards their buses, bottles & insults came raining down upon us spectators sitting on that grass embankment.
Thus commenced my experience of abnormal sport in an abnormal society …
88
RIP Abie Malan
The Proteas need to unearth a death bowler …
& what’s with all the dropped catches?
Is McLaren injured?
Why can’t they finish off an inferior opponent?
@ Angostura:
I had the same bewildering feelings at Newlands the first time granddad took me out there, and I still remember the goose bumbs listening to a 5 minute standing ovation when Noble scored a try in the right-hand corner of the north stand for SA Platteland vs the All Blacks in 1976, the first so-called “non-white”player in history to run onto that pitch.
Newlands became a shrine that day….for me.
@ Pietman:
Christie Noble worked in Doc Craven’s office at the StellenboschRugby Academy at the time, if memory serves.
“Noble deed saved JP Pietersen from gangs in South Africa”‘.
Owen Slot, Chief Sports Reporter, Pretoria
Published at 12:00AM, June 27 2009
South Africa’s wings have converged on the Springboks squad from opposing directions. Bryan Habana enjoyed the advantages of a wealthy family and a private education; JP Pietersen required a hand-up from his famous uncle to escape from comparative poverty and membership of a gang.
Pietersen’s uncle is Christie Noble….”
Wow, plenty of nostalgia in some of these posts…reminds me of my first trip to Ellis Park (1968?) to watch Transvaal play the Lions.
My late mom was panic-stricken when I got “picked up & carried away” in the rush to get out afterwards but she found me eventually.
RIP Abie, slightly before my time but one of many legendary & famous Springboks.
Pietman wrote:
Pietman – I think the Noble (playing in 1976) referred to, is John Noble. I’m not sure if he is related to Christie. I can’t recall that Christie has in fact worked in Doc Craven’s office. I might be wrong though.
I can remember that Christie played no 8 for Coronation rugby club in 1987. The reason I can remember it so clearly is the fact that there was a holiday league for clubs in 1987, called the Lion Shield or something to that effect. The teams of the various towns played in one team, e.g Stellenbosch was represented by Maties, Van der Stel and Coronations. I was a member of that team. We had 2 props of Van der Stel, FC Smit and Neil Hugo were the locks, Gawie Steyn (currently farming at Kanoneiland – near Upington – Doc used to call him Kanon) was one of the flanks and Christie was the number 8. It was “funny” to see this no 8 jogging next to a centre or wing on their way to scoring a try. He used to take many passes from a back and often scored thereafter.
Christie was the number 8 of the WP B side during that year. Charl(ie) Cronjé was the captain of that side. We only played 2 matches – against Transvaal at Newlands and Eastern Province at the old Boet Erasmus stadium. As far as I can remember Andrew Kirsten made his debut for the A side against EP. His brother Peter was on the plane back to Cape Town and I had a lengthy conversation with him about his many brilliant knocks at Newlands. Looking back at it the next day I think Peter merely “tolerated” me. We have had a “tugkomitee” session earlier that evening at the airport where quite a few beers had to be downed for various “offences”. Peter could obviously see that we’ve all had a few toots
To get back to Christie: he moved to Natal a year or two later and was in their victorious Currie Cup team of 1990 (I think). By then he was playing on the wing. He had a lot of pace
First Test I ever saw was the Springboks vs British Lions in 1974… the Test at Loftus.
Bokke lost that day, but I clearly remember that Test, where we sat on the Southern Stand… close to where it joins with the Main Stand, about parrallel with the corner flag, about a third up.
It is now 40 years since… phweeeew!
grootblousmile wrote:
Exactly the same series – Newlands 1974 – Pouring with rain that day and we had lost the first two tests badly if I remember correctly. This match went 12 – 3 to Lions, if memory serves me correct.
From then on, I wanted to go to Newlands every Saturday and did. They used to play THREE Grand or Town Challenge matches on Saturdays and my father coached False Bay. Those were wonderful days and even though it was club matches there were good crowds…
@ Gumboots:
That test was the first test of the series and it was pouring the whole day. I was sitting in the scholars’ section in front of the Northern stand. The next 2 tests were pretty bad until we saved some face with a draw in the last test. During the last test we scored our only try of the series. It was scored by Peter Cronjé (a centre) and it was also the first 4 point tetst try by a Bok (some useless info).
My first test which I attended “live”was at Newlands against the Wallabies in 1969 – we sat on the Northern Stand. My elder brother ended up between a lot of Namibians (our tickets were “scattered” around the stand) and he had a hell of a lot of “Suidwes-biltong” that day.
charlesm wrote:
Hi Charles! Yes I remember losing badly and we had new players almost every match. It was a terrible day, cold and wet. Yes we drew the last test – in Bloemfontein I think…
First test I saw was the 60 maulling the boks gave the aussies at Loftus in 96. I remember that quick lineout 40 throw to percy as it happened right infront of me.
Also that magical backflip. I think it was dalton who was being dragged and tackled to touch by 3 or 4 wallabies and he someway flipped it back in a way I will never understand.
Also a sad say and Andre Snyman got another long term injury that say.
@ charlesm:
Yip, there were a bunch of Nobles, Cloetesville legends, John, Christie, Clive, Dusty…
John was indeed the wing who scored at Newlands in that SA Platteland game, the clerk from Doc’s office. Clive was an*th man, the others all three-quarters.
Funny you should mention Gawie Steyn, he farms next to Piet Karsten at Kanoneiland these days, not far from Oom Abie Malan (about 40km along the Orange River at Wilgenhoutsdrift)…and Piet was the prop in that very same match at Newlands!
Jan Voetbol vd Westhuizen (flyhalf) and Piet were the NWC players representing SA Counties, and Herklaas Engelbrecht , of course, the captain. Jan Voetbol is doing life imprisonment at the moment for the 1993 Worcester Christmas bombing, sad ending to a great rugby player, still holds the SA record for the most points scored in a first league match, 85 it was, I think).
Attie Lategan, the scrumhalf mentioned below, is teacher and rugby coach at Gansbaai stil l(this was the Proteas game, not the one at Newlands where John scored that famous try.)
7 July 1976 – Proteas 3 / All Blacks 25
Match was attended by 10 000 people at Goodwood Oval in Cape Town. The field was wet with overcast weather and occasional rain falling during the game making the ball slippery.
The referee was Ian Gourlay (Natal)
The All Black team: 15: Laurie Mains; 14: Neil Purvis; 11: Terry Mitchell; 13: Bill Osborne; 12: Lyn Jaffray; 10: Doug Bruce; 9: Sid Going; 8: Andy Leslie (Captain); 7: Ken Stewart; 6: Lawrie Knight; 5: Gary Seear; 4: Frank Oliver; 3: Billy Bush; 2: Graeme Grossman; 1: Kerry Tanner.
The Proteas team: 15: Ronnie Louw (Swartland); 14: Eddie Gillion (Southerns); 11: John Noble (Stellenbosch); 13: Charles Williams (Stellenbosch); 12: Hennie Shields (Strand); 10: John Stubbs (Malmesbury); 9: Attie Lategan (Malmesbury); 8: Jack Juries (SWD-Captain); 7: Randy Marinus (Paarl); 6: Hannes Meyer (Northerns); 5: Piet Boonzaaier (Stellenbosch); 4; Louis Paulse (Northerns); 3: Turkey Shields (Strand); 2: Ciscoe Jooste (Swartland); 1: Tom Peterson (Northerns).
charlesm wrote:
My first test at Newlands was also Piet Visagie’s first, against the1967 French, ended 6-6.
26 @ Gumboots:
Bokke drew the 4th Test at Ellis Park, 13 / 13
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