August Frederick 'Oubaas Mark' Markötter (1878–1957) was a South African rugby union player and national selector who coached Stellenbosch Rugby Football Club from 1903-57. As coach he not only turned Maties into the world's largest rugby club but forged 50 of his players into Springboks and got nearly 150 of his players selected for the Western Province team. Eleven of the 1906 Springbok touring squad to Britain "had developed under him at Stellenbosch".[2][3]
Stellenbosch RFC Paarl Rugby Club Villagers Rugby Club Stellenbosch RFC
()
Provincial / State sides
Years
Team
Apps
(Points)
1903
Western Province Country XV
()
Coaching career
Years
Team
1903-57
Stellenbosch University
Markötter popularized the 3-4-1 scrumming formation which is now standard in rugby union, and thus created the position of eighthman as a loose forward.[2][4] He has also been credited with entrenching the swing-pass among his players.[5]
Markötter was "one of the most influential and significant personalities in South African rugby, which he dominated" between 1903 and 1957.[2]
August Frederick Markötter, better known as 'Oubaas Mark' or 'Mr Mark', was born on 10 June 1878 on the Berlin Missionary Society's Haarlem mission station, near Uniondale in the Western Cape, South Africa. He was the third son of missionary Christoph Heinrich Markötter (d.1893) and Mari Henriette (née Beuster, d.1932). His parents had immigrated separately from Germany to South Africa, where they had met and married. When August Frederick was 15, his father was killed in an accident with a horse-drawn carriage at Humansdorp, where he was buried. His mother remarried in 1896.[3]
Young Markötter showed great promise as a student, succeeding with honours in schools at Haarlem and Uniondale, and under a Mr Stucki at Blouvlei. It is at Blouvlei that he received the nickname 'Oubaas', by which he would be known for the rest of his life.[2][3]
Rugby playing careeredit
In April 1893 Markötter enrolled at Victoria College in Stellenbosch, where he took up rugby at the age of 16. He made his first appearance in the third team as a full-back against a side from Hamiltons. Assiduous practicing moved him into the second team, where he switched to fly-half. Proving to be "a hard and committed tackler" he made the first team in 1894, for which he continued to play until 1897. His teammates and friends included 1903 Springbok Japie Krige, with whom he would later open a lawyer's firm in Stellenbosch. Markötter was also a keen cricketer and tennis player.[2][3]
After gaining his BA in 1898 he wrote in a letter, "I definitely decided to dedicate the rest of my life to rugby football". He accepted a position as teacher at Paarl Gimnasium for 9 months, and turned out for Paarl's rugby club. He began training as a lawyer, and moved to Cape Town, where he played for Villagers. After qualifying in 1901 at Cape Town, he opened his first practice at Wellington, where he continued his rugby career in the town team.[2][3]
In 1903 Markötter moved to Stellenbosch as a partner in the firm Krige and Markötter. He captained the town team which went unbeaten that entire season.[2][3] He was appointed captain of the Western Province Country XV which beat Mark Morrison's visiting British and Irish Lions team 13-7 at Newlands. This marked the first time that a Lions team had been defeated by a non-test side in South Africa.[2][6] A severe knee injury that he sustained in a 1904 cricket match ended his career as rugby player. Subsequently, he turned to coaching, establishing a reputation for "uncompromising coaching methods".[3]
Legacyedit
Markötter adopted and adapted the 3-4-1 scrum formation that had been developed independently by Springboks Fairy Heatlie in 1901 while playing for Villagers and applied on the 1906 South African tour of Britain by fellow Villager Paddy Carolin.[7] Markötter's contribution was to coach his players to wheel the formation after which the No. 8 would pick up the ball and break.[8]
^Verster, Francois. bolanderproperty.co.za. Bolander Lifestyle & Property. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^ abcdefgh. IRB.com. IRB Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^ abcdefg"Die straatname van die Pretoriase voorstad Danville" (PDF). Pretoriana - Magazine of the Old Pretoria Society. 58: 13–14. December 1968. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^. Die Burger. 10 June 2006. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^Volschenk, Johan (19 December 1999). . Rapport. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^. lionsrugby.com. British & Irish Lions. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^Carolin, Harold William (1990). Lappe Laubscher; Gideon Nieman (eds.). The Carolin papers: a diary of the 1906/07 Springbok tour. Pretoria: Rugbyana. pp. 34–35. ISBN9780620145015.
^Harris, Tim (2009). Players: 250 Men, Women and Animals Who Created Modern Sport. Random House. ISBN9780224082778.
December 20, 2023
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August Frederick Oubaas Mark Markotter 1878 1957 was a South African rugby union player and national selector who coached Stellenbosch Rugby Football Club from 1903 57 As coach he not only turned Maties into the world s largest rugby club but forged 50 of his players into Springboks and got nearly 150 of his players selected for the Western Province team Eleven of the 1906 Springbok touring squad to Britain had developed under him at Stellenbosch 2 3 Oubaas Mark MarkotterBirth nameAugust Frederick MarkotterDate of birth 1878 05 10 10 May 1878Place of birthHaarlem Cape ColonyDate of death16 April 1957 1957 04 16 aged 78 1 Place of deathStellenbosch South AfricaUniversityStellenbosch UniversityOccupation s Lawyer University RegistrarRugby union careerPosition s Fly halfAmateur team s YearsTeamApps Points 1893 97 1898 1900 19011903 4Stellenbosch RFC Paarl Rugby Club Villagers Rugby Club Stellenbosch RFC Provincial State sidesYearsTeamApps Points 1903Western Province Country XV Coaching careerYearsTeam1903 57Stellenbosch UniversityMarkotter popularized the 3 4 1 scrumming formation which is now standard in rugby union and thus created the position of eighthman as a loose forward 2 4 He has also been credited with entrenching the swing pass among his players 5 Markotter was one of the most influential and significant personalities in South African rugby which he dominated between 1903 and 1957 2 Contents 1 Early life 2 Rugby playing career 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 ReferencesEarly life editAugust Frederick Markotter better known as Oubaas Mark or Mr Mark was born on 10 June 1878 on the Berlin Missionary Society s Haarlem mission station near Uniondale in the Western Cape South Africa He was the third son of missionary Christoph Heinrich Markotter d 1893 and Mari Henriette nee Beuster d 1932 His parents had immigrated separately from Germany to South Africa where they had met and married When August Frederick was 15 his father was killed in an accident with a horse drawn carriage at Humansdorp where he was buried His mother remarried in 1896 3 Young Markotter showed great promise as a student succeeding with honours in schools at Haarlem and Uniondale and under a Mr Stucki at Blouvlei It is at Blouvlei that he received the nickname Oubaas by which he would be known for the rest of his life 2 3 Rugby playing career editIn April 1893 Markotter enrolled at Victoria College in Stellenbosch where he took up rugby at the age of 16 He made his first appearance in the third team as a full back against a side from Hamiltons Assiduous practicing moved him into the second team where he switched to fly half Proving to be a hard and committed tackler he made the first team in 1894 for which he continued to play until 1897 His teammates and friends included 1903 Springbok Japie Krige with whom he would later open a lawyer s firm in Stellenbosch Markotter was also a keen cricketer and tennis player 2 3 After gaining his BA in 1898 he wrote in a letter I definitely decided to dedicate the rest of my life to rugby football He accepted a position as teacher at Paarl Gimnasium for 9 months and turned out for Paarl s rugby club He began training as a lawyer and moved to Cape Town where he played for Villagers After qualifying in 1901 at Cape Town he opened his first practice at Wellington where he continued his rugby career in the town team 2 3 In 1903 Markotter moved to Stellenbosch as a partner in the firm Krige and Markotter He captained the town team which went unbeaten that entire season 2 3 He was appointed captain of the Western Province Country XV which beat Mark Morrison s visiting British and Irish Lions team 13 7 at Newlands This marked the first time that a Lions team had been defeated by a non test side in South Africa 2 6 A severe knee injury that he sustained in a 1904 cricket match ended his career as rugby player Subsequently he turned to coaching establishing a reputation for uncompromising coaching methods 3 Legacy editMarkotter adopted and adapted the 3 4 1 scrum formation that had been developed independently by Springboks Fairy Heatlie in 1901 while playing for Villagers and applied on the 1906 South African tour of Britain by fellow Villager Paddy Carolin 7 Markotter s contribution was to coach his players to wheel the formation after which the No 8 would pick up the ball and break 8 See also editScrum rugby union References edit Verster Francois Markotter spring daaruit sy graf Markotter then jumps out of his grave bolanderproperty co za Bolander Lifestyle amp Property Archived from the original on 2 January 2014 Retrieved 1 January 2014 a b c d e f g h Class of 2009 Candidates for induction into the IRB Hall of Fame August Frederick Oubaas Markotter South Africa 1878 1957 IRB com IRB Hall of Fame Archived from the original on 24 December 2013 Retrieved 1 January 2014 a b c d e f g Die straatname van die Pretoriase voorstad Danville PDF Pretoriana Magazine of the Old Pretoria Society 58 13 14 December 1968 Retrieved 1 January 2014 Vandag in die Geskiedenis Die Burger 10 June 2006 Archived from the original on 2 January 2014 Retrieved 1 January 2014 Volschenk Johan 19 December 1999 Curriebeker glorie is n wals Currie Cup glory is a waltz Rapport Archived from the original on 2 January 2014 Retrieved 1 January 2014 Past tour results 1902 3 Western Province Country 13 7 British amp Irish Lions lionsrugby com British amp Irish Lions Archived from the original on 2 January 2014 Retrieved 1 January 2014 Carolin Harold William 1990 Lappe Laubscher Gideon Nieman eds The Carolin papers a diary of the 1906 07 Springbok tour Pretoria Rugbyana pp 34 35 ISBN 9780620145015 Harris Tim 2009 Players 250 Men Women and Animals Who Created Modern Sport Random House ISBN 9780224082778 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title August Frederick Markotter amp oldid 1135269708, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
