Mickey Gerber
Full names: Michael Coenraad
Date of birth: 12 Oct 1935
Place of birth: Port Elizabeth
School: Grey High School
Springbok no: 337
Springbok debut province: Eastern Province
Physical: 1.80m, 72.6kg
Date of death: 7 Oct 2005 (Age 69)
Test summary: Tests: 3 Tries: 0
First Test: 26 Jul 1958 Age 22 - Full Back against France at Newlands, Cape Town
Last Test: 30 Apr 1960 Age 24 - Full Back against Scotland at Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
26 Jul 1958 22Full Back France Newlands, Cape Town Draw: 3-3  EP
16 Aug 1958 22Full Back France Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 5-91 conversion EP
30 Apr 1960 24Full Back Scotland Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Win: 18-103 conversions Tvl

Michael Coenraad (Mickey) Gerber, at 35 probably the youngest provincial coach in the country, is a man who hates to lose. The saying: “No one likes to lose, everyone likes to win,” is true of Gerber. Only when multiplied by ten.

It is just that he does not easily accept it. He knows his rugby and is as thorough a student of the game as anybody – but more than any reason, his success as Transvaal coach has stemmed from his fierce competitive spirit and his refusal to admit defeat.

Mickey himself had an illustrious – if somewhat chequered career. He matriculated from Grey High, Port Elizabeth at the age of 16 and for this reason never made his school team. Never too robust, he weighed only 120 lb. in those days.

But it didn’t take him long, and he soon made his mark as a flyhalf, fullback and centre at the Olympics club. They still talk about the try he scored in extra time for Olympics in extra time to win the final of the challenge series – and it was five minutes before a conversion could be taken.

Gerber became a Springbok in 1958 and played in both tests against the touring French team. In his only other test he played fullback against Scotland in 1960 – the year after he moved to Transvaal from the Eastern Cape.

The came his long rivalry with Lionel Wilson, and although an argument about their merits can solve nothing, most critics do agree that Gerber was unlucky – and very much so – to have been left out of the 1965 Springbok team to Australia and New Zealand, after playing very well at the trials.

Gerber hung up his boots in 1965 after playing in more than 100 for Transvaal. Of the exact figure he says: “Hell, have a heart, I can remember.” He captained the province about forty times.

He was elected to the provincial selection committee in 1969 and ever since has been putting all back into the game he loves.

At the end of today’s game Gerber might be found scowling in some corner – or smiling his famous smile, it will be one or either…for with Mickey Gerber half measures don’t exist.

- Published in the match programme of the 1972 Currie Cup final