Hennie Muller

Hennie Muller

Muller before the England encounter in 1952
Full name	Hendrik Scholtz Vosloo Muller
Date of birth	26 March 1922
Place of birth	Witbank, South Africa
Date of death	26 April 1977(1977-04-26) (aged 55)
Place of death	Cape Town, South Africa
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number eight Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1949–53 South Africa 13 (16) Correct as of 2007-12-26 Teams coached Years Team 1965 South Africa Correct as of 2007-12-26

Hendrik "Hennie" Scholtz Vosloo Muller (26 March 1922 – 26 April 1977) was a South African rugby union footballer. Born in Witbank, Muller is considered one of the greatest South African rugby players, captaining the national side, the Springboks in nine tests, and is a member of the International Rugby Hall of Fame. His usual position was at number eight.

Muller made his international debut for the Springboks on 16 July 1949, in the starting line-up in the first a four matches against the touring All Blacks. The South Africans won the first test, 15–11, which was played at Newlands. The Springboks' winning ways continued at Ellis Park, when they won the second test 12–6. South Africa made it 3 games to nil with a 9–3 win in Durban. The series was tied up as a four to nil whitewash of the All Blacks, as the Springboks won the fourth encounter 11–8 in Port Elizabeth.

In 1951 Muller skippered South Africa at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, which saw the Springboks run away 44–0 winners, with Muller scoring one try. After defeating Scotland, the Springboks had the tough task of playing the other three home nations, as well as France on the rest of the tour. The Springboks made it two from two at Lansdowne Road, defeating Ireland 17–5. Muller guided the team to a closer victory in the subsequent match against Wales in Cardiff, which saw the Springboks keep the clean winning record on tour 3–0, winning the game 6–3, a South African drop-goal proving the difference between the two sides.