George Alexander Merry was born in Govan, Scotland, on 3 March 1869, and later made his mark in South African rugby during the pioneering years of the game. After settling in Natal, he became one of the leading forwards in the province and earned selection for South Africa’s first official Test series in 1891, when the British touring side visited the country.

A strong and reliable forward, Merry represented Natal with distinction and was part of the small group of players who helped establish the province’s early rugby traditions. His inclusion in the Springbok side for the 1891 series placed him among the first generation of men to wear the green jersey, making him one of the game’s true pioneers in South Africa.

Though records from that period are limited, George Merry is remembered as part of the foundation upon which South African rugby was built - a link between Scotland’s rich rugby heritage and the emergence of the Springboks as a world rugby power.