Bennie Osler was captain and fly-half of the formidable Springbok tourists of 1931-32, who enjoyed a 4-0 series whitewash of the Home Nations and only lost one of their 26 matches. Osler scored a Springbok record of 81 points in 17 appearances during the tour. 

An advocate of a conservative, 10-man game Osler wasn’t without his critics, but he became a permanent fixture in the Springbok team after making his debut against the British and Irish Lions in August 1924, the first of 17 consecutive tests. With Osler controlling affairs with his astute kicking game, South Africa won the series 3-1. 

Against New Zealand the following year, Osler scored a world record 14 points in the first test in Durban – a 17-0 win. The series was eventually drawn 2-2. Osler lost the captaincy towards the end of his career but was an ever-present in 1933 as South Africa won their first series in Australia, 3-2.