Jaap Bekker

Hendrik Petrus Jordaan Bekker (11 February 1925 — 6 August 1999) was a South African rugby union international.

Jaap Bekker

Full name	Hendrik Petrus Jordaan Bekker
Date of birth	(1925-02-11)11 February 1925
Place of birth	Dordrecht, South Africa
Date of death	6 August 1999(1999-08-06) (aged 74)
Place of death	Pretoria, South Africa
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1952–56 South Africa 15 (3)

Born in Dordrecht, Bekker was the eldest of three brothers to play for the Springboks. Another brother, Daniel Bekker, was a two-time Olympic medalist in boxing.^[1] He also had a sister who was a national record holder for shot put.^[2]

Bekker was capped in 15 Test matches for the Springboks, debuting against England at Twickenham in 1952. A prop, he appeared in all six Tests for the Springboks on the 1956 tour of Australia and New Zealand, including a match up against All Blacks enforcer Kevin Skinner which left him bloodied.^[3] He announced his retirement in 1957.^[4]

See also

• List of South Africa national rugby union players