Paul Roos (rugby union)

Paul Roos

Paul Roos, Springbok Captain, of the first South African touring rugby team to the British Isles in 1906
Birth name	Paul Johannes Roos
Date of birth	(1880-10-30)30 October 1880
Place of birth	Stellenbosch, South Africa
Date of death	22 September 1948(1948-09-22) (aged 67)
Place of death	Stellenbosch, South Africa
Height	181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	90.5 kg (14 st 4 lb)
School	Stellenbosch Gymnasium
Occupation(s)	schoolmaster
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Western Province () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1903–06 South Africa 4 (0)

Paul Johannes Roos (30 October 1880 – 22 September 1948)^[1] (also known as Oom Polla – Afrikaans for "Uncle Polla", "Polla" being a pet name for "Paul") was one of the first South African Springbok rugby union captains and led the first South African rugby team to tour overseas – to Britain in 1906. Roos was born near the South African town of Stellenbosch on 30 October 1880 and completed his education there.^[2]

A devout Christian, Roos was a popular rugby player and was chosen by his own teammates to captain the 1906 tour. Throughout the tour he saw the campaign as an attempt to improve the relationship between his fellow countrymen and the British after the events of the Second Boer War.