Benjamin Duff

Ben Duff
Birth name	Benjamin Robert Duff
Date of birth	16 October 1867
Place of birth	Swellendam, Cape Colony
Date of death	25 June 1943 (aged 75)
Place of death	Pretoria, South Africa
School	SACS
Notable relative(s)	Colin Duff (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Fullback
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
–	Hamilton RFC
Provincial / State sides
Years	Team
1888–1892	Western Province
International career
Years	Team
1891	South Africa
	Correct as of 19 July 2010

Benjamin Robert Duff (16 October 1867 – 25 June 1943) was a South African rugby union international.^[2] He also played a first-class cricket match with Western Province.

Personal[edit]

Duff, born in Swellendam, had a brother Colin who represented Rhodesia at cricket and rugby. He married Isabel Watkinson.

Cricket career[edit]

Duff's cricket match was against Natal during the 1889/90 South African cricket season. Although he batted with the tail, at number 10 in both innings, Duff wasn't called on to bowl once in the match. He scored one and eight not out, dismissed by Test player Gus Kempis in the first dig. Western Province's wicket-keeper for this game, Alfred Richards, was also a rugby union international and the duo appeared together in a Test with the South African national rugby union team.^[3]

Rugby union career[edit]

In 1891, Duff played three rugby union Test matches in a home series against the British Isles. These were the first ever official Tests that South Africa played and due to the order in which players' names were listed on team sheets for a match at the time, Duff has the distinction of being the first Springbok.^[4] He played his games as a full-back and represented Western Province at provincial rugby.^[5]

Test history[edit]

No.	Opponents	Results(SA 1st)	Position	Date	Venue
1.	British Isles	0–4	Fullback	30 Jul 1891	Crusaders Ground, Port Elizabeth
2.	British Isles	0–3	Fullback	29 Aug 1891	Eclectic Cricket Ground, Kimberley
3.	British Isles	0–4	Fullback	5 Sep 1891	Newlands, Cape Town

References[edit]

^ "List of SACS Springboks". NextGenRugga. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
^ "Benjamin Robert Duff". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
^ "Western Province v Natal 1889/90". CricketArchive.
^ "Profile: Benjamin Robert Duff". SA Rugby.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Parker, A. C. (1983). W.P. Rugby : centenary, 1883-1983. Western Province Rugby Football Union (South Africa) (1st ed.). Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa: WPRFU. p. 303. ISBN 0-620-06555-9. OCLC 54188953.

External links[edit]

[1] "List of SACS Springboks". NextGenRugga. Retrieved 6 February 2020.

[2] "Benjamin Robert Duff". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 14 May 2020.

[3] "Western Province v Natal 1889/90". CricketArchive.

[4] "Profile: Benjamin Robert Duff". SA Rugby.^{[permanent dead link]}

[5] Parker, A. C. (1983). W.P. Rugby : centenary, 1883-1983. Western Province Rugby Football Union (South Africa) (1st ed.). Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa: WPRFU. p. 303. ISBN 0-620-06555-9. OCLC 54188953.

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