Dai joined the 1931/32 tour after Jock van Niekerk was crocked and there he made his name for the first time. It was a case of history repeating itself; Steve Joubert had done the same thing as a replacement in 1906/1907.

Dal was only 18 years old when he joined the tour. He came over by ship and it took a long time for him to arrive. He joined us when we were in Wales and with a name like "Dai" the Welsh fans were ecstatic - here was a Springbok playing for South Africa but with the utterly Welsh name of Dai.

However, I think his name proved to be something of a burden to Dai. He didn't have many opportunities during that tour and when the Wallabies toured South Africa in 1933 he was on the injury list.

But we knew what a diamond we had in this attractive young man, and when the team was selected to tour New Zealand in 1937, Dai was included.

I will never forget the try he scored in the last international when the New Zealand fullback literally turned a somersault trying to get to him. But Dai, with his tremendous swerve, evaded him; he couldn't lay a finger on the Springbok wing.

Then there was the last try we scored during the first test against the 1938 Lions at Ellis Park. Dai broke past everybody and scored in the corner. The crowd, nearly 100 000, had smashed the fences and were encroaching on the playing area.

Fortunately for us the referee was up with the play and he saw Dai dot down, because as he did so Dai was buried by the spectators. Gerry Brand with no run-up - he was hemmed in by spectators - put the ball straight through the posts for the extra two points.