A mighty performance was witnessed at Rodney Parade when the Usksiders pulled off their first of four victories over major Southern Hemisphere international touring teams. The nine points to three victory was celebrated by the South African team presenting Newport with a Springboks head mounted on a plaque to signify that they were the first team of the tour to defeat the international visitors. To this day, that memento gifted by a South African newspaper, still takes pride of place in the club museum.

The game was dominated by the thoughts and actions of the home teams superlative half backs. Tommy Vile and Walter Martin. The visitors had a larger pack and much quicker backline than the Black and Ambers but were often pinned back in their own half by the precise kicking of the half backs as well as Fred Birt from the centre and Herbert Wreford at full back.

Against predictions, Newports forwards managed to hold their own against the powerful opposition and made great efforts to hit the tackles hard and disrupt the continuity of the South Africans. Aggressive tackling dislodged the ball from the carrier on several occasions, hence stopping promising attacks.

Just before half time, following a tremendous forward surge, Jack Wetter managed to cross the try line but was recalled. Soon after however, the ball was worked quickly to Birt who dropped a goal to give the home side a four point advantage. Soon after the break, the South Africans swarmed up field and Douglas Morkel scored underneath the posts but amazingly, considering his fine reputation, the conversion was missed.

Wreford was by now performing heroics with several last ditch tackles to keep the opposition backline out but it looked as if South Africa would gain the decisive score at some stage. Suddenly, Wetter broke and sliced his way through the cover defence. He raced up field and lined up a pass but much to everyones surprise he instead choose to kick towards the posts. Van der Hoff raced across to cover and dived towards the bouncing ball but missed it and was beaten to the touchdown by Fred Birt who had chased well to follow the move. Birt also successfully converted his score to finish the game with all of his teams points.

This fantastic achievement in Newports history was to be repeated over fifty years later, when the 1969 South Africans also lost at Rodney Parade. It is worth noting that the Welsh national team did not achieve its first victory over South Africa until 1999.

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The excitement of the game is apparent in this account by "Dromio", W. J. Townsend Collins, taken from his book 'Rugby Recollections' published by R. H. Johns, Newport in 1948.

"HOW NEWPORT WON THE SPRINGBOKS HEAD"

"When the South Africans came to Britain in 1912, under the captaincy of W. A. Millar, they brought with them a stuffed Springbok's Head, to be presented to the team who first defeated them. They had the trophy with them at Newport on October 24th: it went no farther, for they were unexpectedly beaten. The South Africans were taller, heavier, stronger, faster; yet they could not win. Why ? The result turned on superior tactics and superlative captaincy. Newport, with that brilliant strategist, T. H. Vile, at inside half, with that other great captain, Bob Dibble, leader of the pack, went on the field with a definite policy. They knew they were slower behind and lighter in front, so they laid themselves out to turn to account their own powers and qualities, and to limit the opportunities of their opponents. They did their utmost to prevent the Springboks from gaining possession; and their consistent touch-finding gained ground and conserved the energies of the forwards, who thus were able to bring into play their special qualities—dribbling and following up. The game was exciting from the first moment. Several times the South Africans were only kept out by great tackling; on the other hand, Walter Martin, Newports captain and outside half, burst through once in brilliant style, and a try seemed certain on the left wing; but Fred Birt knocked on. When the Springboks got to the Newport 25 with a rush, Birt and Herbert Wreford drove them back to their 25 with sound kicking. The forwards took a hand from a line-out, and Harry Wetter crossed the line, but was called back—Forward pass! However, this left play near the line; the ball was worked back smartly to Birt in front of the posts, and with a soaring kick he dropped a goal. So just before the interval the home side had a lead of four points. In the second half, Jack Wetter, playing at centre, passed inward when he was expected to pass outward, and the ball went to the ground. Dick Luyt, the hero of the South African team, playing at centre, picked up smartly, ran through, and a couple of transfers left the ball with that big, fast forward, Douglas Morkel. He was clear, and raced in behind the posts. Unaccountably, though the charge was disallowed, Dick Luyt failed to send the ball over the bar, and the one-point lead which should have been South Africas was Newports. The Springboks flung themselves into the game with fire which seemed certain to burn a way through Newports defences. A reverse pass opened an attack on the right; and from Dick Luyt's pass J. Stegmann burst for the corner. He was clear of W. P. Geen, but Wreford went for him, checked him, and forced him against the corner flag—a near thing for the winning try. Once more the Springboks sent the ball out swiftly—this time to the other wing, and the giant Van der Hoff launched his 14 st. 7 Ibs. of bone and muscle for the corner flag. He seemed certain to score, but again Newport's full-back made a tremendous effort, crashed into his man, and just saved a try. Time after time the Springboks attacked. Had Newport wavered,—had a man among them lacked resolution,—their defence would have been pierced. When he found that Newport were like a stone wall, Douglas Morkel tried to get over it—he put up an immensely high kick, and followed up. It looked as if he had done the trick —for Martin failed to catch. But he had prevented the high rebound on which Morkel counted, recovered himself, and saved the situation with a brilliant kick to touch. Newports supporters breathed again. Was Springbok aggression to continue till the end ? Was it to be rewarded ? Were Newport to be penned down in the danger zone ? No, Jack Wetter put in a brilliant burst, and, when expected to pass, put in a twisting cross-punt which turned the ball towards goal. Van der Hoff raced for it, dived for it over the line, missed it, and Birt, who had followed up in great style, fell on the ball. He converted his own try, and Newport led by nine points to three. With five minutes to go, Newport gave nothing away. Twice the Springboks kicked over the line, and minors were conceded. When the ball went to Newport in reply to the drops-out, they kicked to touch. They continued till the end the policy with which they began— they took the safe and easy gains of touch-finding, they deprived the Springboks of opportunities to attack; and so they won a historic game and won the Springbok's Head."