{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Boy Morkel | image = | caption = | birth_name = William Herman Morkel | birth_date = {{Birth date|1885|1|2|df=y}} | birth_place = Somerset West, Cape Colony | death_date = {{Death date and age|1955|2|6|1885|1|2|df=yes}} | death_place = Worcester, Cape Province. South Africa | height = 1.85m | weight = 89kg | position = Forward | amatteam1 = Diggers RFC | amatyears1 = | amatteam2 = Somerset West RFC | amatyears2 = | years1 = | apps1 = | points1 = | province1 = {{rut|Western Province}} | provinceyears1 = 1908–1914 | provinceapps1 = | provincepoints1 = | province2 = {{rut|Transvaal}} | provinceyears2 = | provinceapps2 = | provincepoints2 = | repteam1 = South Africa | repyears1 = 1910–1921 | repcaps1 = 9 | reppoints1 = 6 | school = Hottentots Holland High School, Somerset West }}
''' William Herman "Boy" Morkel ''' (2 January 1885 – 6 February 1955) was a South African rugby union player and 14th captain of the South Africa national rugby union team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/2191.html|title=Boy Morkel|website=ESPN scrum|access-date=2021-07-06}}</ref>
==Biography== Morkel was born in Somerset West, but he played for Diggers Rugby Club in Johannesburg at the start of his career before returning to the Cape in 1908, joining Somerset West Rugby Club. He made his debut for {{rut|Western Province}} in 1908 and later became captain.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Greyvenstein|first=Chris|title=Springbok saga : from 1891 to the new beginning|date=1992|publisher=Don Nelson|isbn=1-86806-095-0|edition=4th|location=Cape Town|pages=54|oclc=105375255}}</ref> He was the captain of Western Province when the team won the Currie Cup in 1914.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Parker|first=A. C.|title=W.P. Rugby : centenary, 1883-1983|publisher=WPRFU|others=Western Province Rugby Football Union (South Africa)|year=1983|isbn=0-620-06555-9|edition=1st|location=Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa|pages=46, 181–185|oclc=54188953}}</ref>
Morkel made his test debut for {{nrut|South Africa}} during the third test against the British Isles on 3 September 1910 at Newlands in Cape Town. He was then selected for Springboks on the tour to Europe of 1912–13. Alongside Morkel in the team were his cousins Dougie, and the brothers Jacky and Gerhard. After 1914 Morkel relocated to the Transvaal where he farmed in the district of Potchefstroom. While farming and only occasionally playing some rugby, he was recalled to join Theo Pienaar's 1921 touring team to New Zealand. He was then 35 years old and yet, after the injury suffered by Pienaar, he led the Springboks in all three tests against the All Blacks.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Griffiths|first=Edward|title=The Captains|date=2001|publisher=Jonathan Ball|isbn=1-86842-112-0|location=Johannesburg|pages=47–49|oclc=48044997}}</ref>
During his rugby career, Morkel played 9 Test matches for South Africa, scored two tries and also played 22 tour matches and scored five tries in the tour matches.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Heath|first1=Duane|last2=Grieb|first2=Eddie|last3=Smit|first3=Kobus |title=South African Rugby Annual 2020|date=2020|publisher=South African Rugby Union|isbn=9780620872041|location=Cape Town|pages=242}}</ref>
=== Test history === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! No. !! Opponents !! Results<br />(SA 1st) !! Position !! Tries !! Dates !! Venue |- | 1. || {{flagicon|UK}} British Isles || align="center"|21–5 ||Forward || || 3 Sep 1910 || Newlands, Cape Town |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 2. ||{{ru|SCO}} || align="center"|16–0 || Forward || align="center"|1 || 23 Nov 1912 || Inverleith, Edinburgh |- | 3. ||{{ru|IRE}} || align="center"|38–0 || Forward || || 30 Nov 1912 || Lansdowne Road, Dublin |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 4. ||{{ru|WAL|1807}} || align="center"|3–0 || Forward || || 14 Dec 1912|| Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff |- | 5. || {{ru|ENG}} || align="center"|9–3 || Forward || || 4 Jan 1913 || Twickenham, London |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 6. || {{ru|FRA}} || align="center"|38–5 || Forward || align="center"|1 || 11 Jan 1913 || Le Bouscat, Bordeaux |- | 7. ||{{ru|NZL}} || align="center"|5–13 || Number 8 (c) || || 13 Aug 1921|| Carisbrook, Dunedin |- style="background: #D0E6FF;" | 8. ||{{ru|NZL}} || align="center"|9–5 || Number 8 (c) || || 27 Aug 1921 || Eden Park, Auckland |- | 9. ||{{ru|NZL}} || align="center"|0–0 || Number 8 (c) || || 17 Sep 1921 || Athletic Park, Wellington |}
==See also== *List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. '''128'''
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{s-bef|before=Theo Pienaar}} {{s-ttl|title=Springbok Captain|years=1921}} {{s-aft|after=PK Albertyn}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morkel, Boy.}} Category:1885 births Category:1955 deaths Category:South African rugby union players Category:South Africa international rugby union players Category:Stormers players Category:Rugby union players from Somerset West Category:Rugby union forwards Category:South Africa national rugby union team captains Category:20th-century South African sportsmen