The Bok who gave Meads his toughest challenge
THROUGHOUT his career Colin Meads was frequently asked who his toughest and most feared opponent was and although the likes of Willie John McBride, Delme Thomas and Johan Classen always got honourable mention he never wavered from the opinion that the comparatively unknown Springbok Martin Pelser was the toughest player he tangled with.
Pelser, who enjoyed a brief but successful eleven match Test career between 19581961 before turning to Rugby League, was from the same mould at Meads. At 6ft 2ins and 15 stone he was ideally built for playing blindside flanker and managed to avoid being shunted up to lock where South Africa always had plenty of giants.
The Transvaal flanker had lost the sight of one eye after a schoolboy accident but was tough as old boots and had the reputation of a man you never crossed.
The Springboks home series against New Zealand in 1960 was the highlight of Pelser's Union career when he was a Trojan in the Springboks backrow during their 3-1 series win.
Not only did he make life a complete misery for All Blacks scrum-half Kevin Briscoe but earned the healthy respect of Kel Tremain and Meads who played mostly in the backrow on that tour.
"He took no nonsense from Kel Tremain or me,” recalled Meads. “When Kel pushed Pelser, Pelser belted him back. Then it was my time to look after Pelser while Kel jumped and as the ruck formed he chased me around the side of it and belted me too. I would love to have had him on my side."
Pelser could take it as well. He was targeted by France throughout their unofficial ‘championship of the world’ game in Paris in 1961 and was kicked repeatedly on the ground. Referee Gwynne Walters threatened to take both teams off. The match ended in the most incident packed 0-0 draws in history.