"Lammetjie" was the scrumhalf who started the dive-pass era on the advice of Mr Markotter. In those days, the moment the hooker touched the ball, the loose forwards could break from the scrum.

The result was that four people would converge on the halfbacks. No wonder the scrumhalf was called the "donkey" halfback; he had to do all the dirty slogging.

The three loose forwards and the opposing scrumhalf could go for the halfback. Often the poor scrumhalf would be kicked during the match, sometimes unintentionally and sometimes on purpose.

Fred Luyt discovered, as did his successors - including myself - that one of the best methods of defence was to dive away from the oncoming forwards. At the same time, the pass ensured a good long service to the standoff half.

It was only in 1931/32 that the 3-4-1 scrum formation came about; prior to this we used the 3-3-2 combination.

This pass was also known as the falling pass, as one literally fell away from the opposing forwards. So Fred started this particular movement which was then built on and perfected by great players such as Dan Brink, who, because of World War I, was unfortunate not to have played for South Africa - Pally Truter, Daunce Devine and Champion Myburgh.

Although I became noted for my divepass, I was merely carrying on the tradition which had been devised by these four great players. I recall that after the team had been selected for the 1931/32 tour Fred Luyt called me aside and said to bear in mind that although the dive pass was a very good weapon, one certainly didn't have to use it all the time.

At the time it gave me a thrill to think that one of the great scrumhalves of the 1912/13 team had taken the trouble to discuss some of the finer points of the game with me and to pass on the experience he'd gained to someone who was then a very raw 20 year-old.

Fred was a marvellous player and a most worthy Springbok.