Geoff Gray (rugby union)

Bertram Geoffrey Gray (28 July 1909 – 4 August 1989) was a South African international rugby union player.

Geoff Gray

Full name	Bertram Geoffrey Gray
Date of birth	(1909-07-28)28 July 1909
Place of birth	Hastings, England
Date of death	4 August 1989(1989-08-04) (aged 80)
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	76.7 kg (169 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) Western Province () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1931–33 South Africa 4 (0)

Gray was born in Hastings, England, but educated at Diocesan College in Cape Town. He initially played soccer as his chosen sport, until developing pneumonia while acting as a (stationary) goalkeeper, prompting a switch to rugby.^[1]

A centre, Gray was a product of rugby at the University of Cape Town, where he played alongside future Springboks three–quarters Stanley Osler and Frank Waring. He made his representative debut for Western Province aged 19.^[2]

Gray gained three Springboks caps on their 1931–32 tour of Britain and Ireland, utilised as an inside centre for wins over Wales, England and Scotland. He afterwards had a stint in Eastern Province. After joining Cape Town club Villagers, Gray gained one further Springboks cap, against the Wallabies at Bloemfontein in 1933. He was considered unfortunate to have not had a longer international career on account of persistent injuries.^[3]

See also

• List of South Africa national rugby union players