# Andre Markgraaff

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**Andries Thomas "Andre" Markgraaff** (born 23 December 1956)[1] is a retired [South African](/source/South_Africa) [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) lock. He matriculated at [Diamantveld High School](/source/Diamantveld_High_School) and was a controversial national coach, who resigned after he was taped using the racial term [kaffir](/source/Kaffir_(racial_term)).[2][3][4]

## Playing career

Markgraaff was selected for the [South African team](/source/South_Africa_national_rugby_union_team) in 1986 against the [Cavaliers](/source/New_Zealand_Cavaliers) but as an unused substitute. Markgraaff also represented [Western Transvaal](/source/Leopards_(rugby_team)), [Western Province](/source/Western_Province_(rugby_team)), [Griqualand West](/source/Griquas_(rugby)) and the then [South West Africa](/source/Namibia)[5] in 20 games. He captained the South African Barbarians on a tour to Europe and the Junior Springboks.

## Coaching

In 1988, he became coach of [Griqualand West](/source/Griquas_(rugby)). He became president of Griquas in 1991.[5]

In 1996, Markgraaff was appointed as the [Springbok](/source/South_Africa_national_rugby_union_team) rugby coach. In 1997 Markgraaff was forced to quit after his controversial racial statements,[6] when he referred to a black senior rugby administrator [Mluleki George](/source/Mluleki_George) as a "kaffir".[7] In his apology, Markgraaff said

- "*I'm not making any excuses. I was very emotional at the time. I apologise to the black people of this country and to the whites for causing them embarrassment.*"[4]

During his short reign the Springboks won eight and lost five tests.

In 1998, Markgraaff took the [Griquas](/source/Griquas_(rugby)) to victory in the [Vodacom Cup](/source/Vodacom_Cup) and then to the semifinals of the [Currie Cup](/source/Currie_Cup), losing by 11–27 to the .[8] He also coached the [Cats](/source/Cats_(rugby)) in [Super Rugby](/source/Super_Rugby) and was a founder of the [PUK](/source/Potchefstroom_University_for_Christian_Higher_Education) Rugby Institute.

Markgraaff made a comeback in rugby administration and was the Deputy President of SARFU and the convener of SARFU's technical committee.

## References

1. [Andre Markgraaff rugby profile](http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/105525.html) Scrum.com

1. ["School profile Diamantveld"](http://www.schoolofrugby.co.za/galleries/6290-dynamic-import-086). Retrieved 13 May 2018.

1. Black, David Ross & Nauright, John (1998). [*Rugby and the South African Nation: Sport, Cultures, Politics, and Power in the Old and New South Africas*](https://books.google.com/books?id=kHi7AAAAIAAJ&q=DIE+ANC). Manchester University Press. ISBN 9780719049323.

1. ["SA rugby coach quits over racist outburst"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/sa-rugby-coach-quits-over-racist-outburst-1279426.html). *The Independent*. 1997-02-19. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121107040536/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/sa-rugby-coach-quits-over-racist-outburst-1279426.html) 2012-11-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-01-09.

1. ["www.rugby365.com | schools | school profiles HOËRSKOOL DIAMANTVELD"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110616021250/http://www.rugby365.com/schools/profiles/586158.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.rugby365.com/schools/profiles/586158.htm) on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2010-03-11.

1. [South Africa colour future without Jake White](https://web.archive.org/web/20110604200230/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article2703486.ece) Times Online, 21 October 2007

1. ["US"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/he-refused-to-room-with-a-black-teammate-for-some-the-era-of-apartheid-never-ended-537405.html). *The Independent*. Retrieved 2018-01-09.[dead link]

1. [Griquas and Cheetahs meet in pick of the Currie Cup action](http://www.scrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/60216.html) Scrum.com, 20 July 2005

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Andre Markgraaff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Markgraaff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Markgraaff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.