Basie Viviers

Basie Vivier

Full name

Stefanus Sebastian Vivier

Date of birth

1 March 1927

Place of birth

Pietersburg, South Africa

Date of death

18 October 2009 (aged 82)

Place of death

Brandfort, South Africa

Spouse

Eunice De Wet

Occupation(s)

Police officer
miner
marketing consultant

Rugby union career

Senior career
Position(s)	Centre Fullback
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1947–50 1950–≥1956	Northern Transvaal Orange Free State		()
National team(s)
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1951–57	South Africa	5	((11))

Senior career
Position(s)	Centre Fullback
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1947–50 1950–≥1956	Northern Transvaal Orange Free State		()
National team(s)
Years	Team	Apps	(Points)
1951–57	South Africa	5	((11))

Stefanus Sebastian "Basie" Vivier (1 March 1927 – 18 October 2009) was a South African rugby union player. He was capped for South Africa five times in 1956, though he was first selected to play for the Springboks on the 1951–52 South Africa rugby tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France; but was never selected for an international game on that tour. The touring team of 1951/52 is seen as one of the greatest South African teams, winning 30 of the 31 matches, including all five internationals.

Vivier was born Stefanus Sebastian Viviers in 1927 in Pietersburg, Limpopo province to Stefanus Vivier. The family name was spelt "Viviers" until it was discovered that the 's' had been appended to his father's name by his school, and the family changed their surname when it was established in 1955 that the true surname was "Vivier". He was educated at Kenhardt and Nylstroom. A member of the South African Police in Pretoria, he later went mining in the new Orange Free State gold town of Welkom. after 1951 he became an insurance salesman before he was made marketing consultant for National Industries.

Vivier was known for his congeniality and sense of humour on tours. South African rugby journalist R. K. Stent, in his 1952 book The Fourth Springboks, described Vivier as the 'side's court jester' who possessed a fine tenor voice.

He married Eunice de Watt, with whom he had four children.

Vivier played provincial rugby for Northern Transvaal from 1947 to 1950, before moving to the Free State where he played for Orange Free State. His 28 points scored in the 1950 match between Northern Transvaal and North Eastern Districts set a South African record, beating the 24 points scored by Gerry Brand 26 years earlier.

In 1951 he attended the Newlands' trials, set to determine the squad for the fourth Springboks tour of Britain. Vivier was selected as a utility back. He played 14 games on the tour, nine at centre, five at full-back and in the match against North of Scotland an injury to Johannes Oelofse saw Vivier switch from centre to scrum-half. Despite only playing 14 of the 31 matches, and not playing in any of the five international games, Viviers ended as the tour's second highest scorer with 58 points. His first match in the Springboks jersey was on 13 October 1952, in a win against a combined South-Western counties team. He followed this the very next match with his first points for South Africa, scoring a penalty as full-back in an encounter with a joint Pontypridd/Newbridge team in Wales. Throughout the tour when not playing, Vivier was often used as one of the touch judges.

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