adminJOHANNESBURG. — The South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Saturday sent its condolences to the family of Jack Dolomba, a legend of African rugby in the pre-unity era, who has passed away. He made his debut for the African Springboks in 1971 against the South African Rugby Football Federation and captained the team against Italy in 1974.
He made five test appearances at a time when representative matches for black and coloured South Africans were few and far between.
Dolomba played for the Star of Hope Rugby Football Club in the Border region and cut his teeth in the Parton’s Cup competition of the South African African Rugby Football Board during the period 1966 – 1974.
He made his debut for the African Springboks against the SA Rugby Football Federation’s Proteas after a period of growing concern about the quality of hookers within the fold of African rugby. Replacing the likes of Calvin Sigwanda, on the 21 August 1971 Dolomba, in the company of some of the stalwarts of African rugby such as Stambo Cushes, Thompson Mgxala and Norman Mbiko, went on to make a name for himself.
He scored a try in his third test which the African Springboks won by 13-6 against the Proteas.
The contemporary national newspaper, Imvo Zabantsundu in various reports of the time, described Dolomba who played hooker as “a fast striker and very active in the loose.”
On another occasion they referred to him as “terrier-like and at times gets to broken play before the loose trio” and being “beaver-like” as well as “in the loose he is a tireless forager for the ball” and “an asset in defence”. — supersport.com.
Online Reporter