Eben Olivier
Full names: Ebenhaezer
Date of birth: 10 Apr 1944
Place of birth: Kirkwood
School: Kirkwood
Springbok no: 417
Debut test province: Western Province
Physical: 1.74m, 77.1kg
Current age: 79

Test summary: Tests: 16 Tries: 5
First Test: 15 Jul 1967 Age:23 Inside Centre against France at Kingspark, Durban
Last Test: 20 Dec 1969 Age:25 Inside Centre against England at Twickenham, London
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
15 Jul 196723Inside CentreFranceWin: 26-3 Kingspark, DurbanWP
22 Jul 196723Inside CentreFranceWin: 16-31 tryFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinWP
29 Jul 196723Inside CentreFranceLose: 14-191 tryEllispark, JohannesburgWP
12 Aug 196723Inside CentreFranceDraw: 6-6 Newlands, Cape TownWP
08 Jun 196824Inside CentreBritainWin: 25-20 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaWP
22 Jun 196824Inside CentreBritainDraw: 6-6 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethWP
13 Jul 196824Inside CentreBritainWin: 11-6 Newlands, Cape TownWP
27 Jul 196824Inside CentreBritainWin: 19-61 tryEllispark, JohannesburgWP
09 Nov 196824Inside CentreFranceWin: 12-9 Stade Municipal, BordeauxWP
16 Nov 196824Inside CentreFranceWin: 16-11 Stade Olympique, Colombes, ParisWP
02 Aug 196925Inside CentreAustraliaWin: 30-11 Ellispark, JohannesburgWP
16 Aug 196925Inside CentreAustraliaWin: 16-9 Kingspark, DurbanWP
06 Sep 196925Inside CentreAustraliaWin: 11-3 Newlands, Cape TownWP
20 Sep 196925Inside CentreAustraliaWin: 19-82 triesFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinWP
06 Dec 196925Inside CentreScotlandLose: 3-6 Murrayfield, EdinburghWP
20 Dec 196925Inside CentreEnglandLose: 8-11 Twickenham, LondonWP

Eben Olivier : Doc Craven

Eben was, of course, more prominent as an athlete in the hurdling events when he came to Stellenbosch and in fact, it was hurdling which made him such a dangerous centre three-quarter.

JC van der Westhuizen, the 1928 Springbok, used to say: "A man who comes to me in an upright position is not dangerous. I'll tackle him anyday. But a man who comes to me like a snake, head thrust forwardducking, weaving and swaying - well, that's another story; you don't know which part of him to concentrate on." Eben was like that.

Eben also ran with his arms in a bent position and in all these things lay his strength. Besides that he had speed and he could virtually hurdle his way over his opponents. When he left Stellenbosch he seemed to lose that particular ability and I had to remind him from time to time.

He eventually lost the ability altogether and it was such a great pity.

He was an outstanding centre, but he remained at his best for a tragically short period.

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