Jack Slater (rugby union)

Jack Slater
Full nameJohn Thornhill Slater
Date of birth(1901-04-16)16 April 1901
Place of birthGrahamstown, South Africa
Date of death16 February 1986(1986-02-16) (aged 84)
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight83 kg (183 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing three–quarter
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
Eastern Province ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1924–28 South Africa 3 (6)

John Thornhill Slater (16 April 1901 – 16 February 1986) was a South African international rugby union player.[1]

Biography

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Born in Grahamstown, Slater was the son of Grahamstown Journal proprietor Josiah Slater and attended Kingswood College, where he played rugby alongside future Springboks captain Bennie Osler.[2]

Slater was a strong and speedy three–quarter, who featured mostly on the wing, but could also play centre.[3] He was an Eastern Province representative and obtained three Springboks caps during the 1920s. His first two appearances were on the right wing, for two home internationals against the 1924 British Lions. He returned to the side in 1928 against the All Blacks at Kingsmead and scored the only try of the match in a Springboks win.[4]

A teacher by profession, Slater served as headmaster of Kingswood College between 1955 and 1964.[2]

Slater is the great–grandfather of Springboks centre Jan Serfontein.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Jack Slater". bokhist.com.
  2. ^ a b Knight, Matthew (9 October 2012). Between the Lines - The Spirit of South African Rugby. Penguin Random House South Africa. p. 57.
  3. ^ "Some African "Stars"". Dunstan Times. 11 June 1928.
  4. ^ "Notes on Players". The Evening Post. 29 June 1928.
  5. ^ "Jan of a kind". www.gq.co.za. 5 April 2016.