Chum Ochse
Full names: Johann Karl
Date of birth: 9 Feb 1925
Place of birth: Paarl
School: Union High
Springbok no: 289
Debut test province: Western Province
Physical: 1.8m, 81.65kg
Date of death: 13 Jul 1996 (Age 71)

Test summary: Tests: 7 Tries: 3
First Test: 8 Dec 1951 Age:26 Left Wing against Ireland at Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin
Last Test: 26 Sep 1953 Age:28 Left Wing against Australia at Crusaders (St George's Park), Port Elizabeth
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
08 Dec 195126Left WingIrelandWin: 17-51 tryAviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinWP
22 Dec 195126Left WingWalesWin: 6-31 tryMillenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffWP
05 Jan 195226Left WingEnglandWin: 8-3 Twickenham, LondonWP
16 Feb 195227Left WingFranceWin: 25-3 Stade Olympique, Colombes, ParisWP
22 Aug 195328Left WingAustraliaWin: 25-3 Ellispark, JohannesburgWP
05 Sep 195328Left WingAustraliaLose: 14-181 tryNewlands, Cape TownWP
26 Sep 195328Left WingAustraliaWin: 22-9 Crusaders (St George's Park), Port ElizabethWP

Chum Ochse : Doc Craven

I first saw Chum at Graaff-Reinet Training College and afterwards playing for Eastern Province. Later he moved to the Western Province and there he really made his mark.

Chum was not selected to play against Scotland on the 1951/52 tour of the British Isles, when we ran up the record 44-0 score, and he felt badly about it. "Chum, if you were to cover more, tackle someone on the other side of the field, then you'd be in the picture more often", I counselled him. "You're going to have to do that if you want test recognition."

And, by gad, after that he covered and played back to his forwards. He was all over the field and how many tries didn't he save, not to mention how many he made.

What a pleasant man to have in the team - always quoting Shakespeare and the classic poets. He had a quote for any occasion. Playing golf he once drove off the tee somewhat erratically. "I hit the ball into the air - it came to earth - I know not where", he remarked drily, causing his fellow players to burst out laughing.

Chum had the strangest, most subdued little laugh. A quiet man with a quiet sense of humour, and absolutely peerless on the field.