Springbok no. 109 · Forward
Billy Millar
William Alexander Millar · WP
Test career
First test
8 Dec 1906, age 23 · Forward v England, Crystal Palace, London
Last test
11 Jan 1913, age 29 · Forward v France, Le Bouscat, Bordeaux
Biography
Billy Millar was a fine forward and one of the most successful early Springbok captains. Born in Bedford on 6 November 1883 and educated at SACS, he took up rugby seriously only after being badly wounded in the Anglo-Boer War.
He went on the 1906–07 tour as a late replacement and scored the try that earned a 3–3 draw with England. He played six Tests and captained South Africa five times. That included leading the 1912–13 team that beat Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England and France, a Grand Slam with a final win over France in Bordeaux. He later wrote a book about his rugby life. He died on 18 March 1949.
Test history
6 tests · 5 as captain · 6 points| Date | Opponent | Venue | Position | Result | Province |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 Dec 1906 |  England | Crystal Palace, London | Forward | D 3–3 | WP |
| 27 Aug 1910 |  Britain | Crusaders (St George's Park), Port Elizabeth | Forward (C) | L 3–8 | WP |
| 03 Sep 1910 | Britain | Newlands, Cape Town | Forward (C) | W 21–5 | WP |
| 30 Nov 1912 |  Ireland | Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin | Forward (C) | W 38–0 | WP |
| 14 Dec 1912 |  Wales | Millennium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff | Forward (C) | W 3–0 | WP |
| 11 Jan 1913 |  France | Le Bouscat, Bordeaux | Forward (C) | W 38–5 | WP |