James Starke

Jacobus Joubert "James" Starke (15 May 1931 – 25 July 2018) was a South African rugby union player.

James Starke

Starke in New Zealand in 1956
Birth name	Jacobus Joubert Starke
Date of birth	(1931-05-16)16 May 1931
Place of birth	Durbanville, Cape Province
Date of death	25 July 2018(2018-07-25) (aged 87)
Place of death	Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	90 kg (198 lb)
School	Rondebosch Boys' High School
University	Stellenbosch University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose-forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1949–1965 Maties () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1954–1961 Western Province () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1956 South Africa 1 (0) 1956 South Africa (tour) 7 (3)

Rugby union career

Starke finished his schooling at Rondebosch Boys' High School and in 1949 started at Stellenbosch University. He first played for the Maties under-19 team and from 1951 for the first team. He captained the club from 1953 to 1965 and also captained the Maties at cricket in 1951.

In 1954 he made his provincial debut for Western Province and played for the union until 1961, captaining the province once. He also captained the Southern Universities on tours to Rhodesia and Europe.

In 1956, Starke was called up as a replacement to the Springbok team that toured New Zealand, after the team suffered many injuries. Starke played in seven tour matches as well as the fourth test match against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland.

In 1958, Starke went to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to study there for a year and a half. After retiring from rugby, he remained involved in rugby in Stellenbosch and in the Western Province, where he became selector and chairman of selectors.

Test history

No.	Opponents	Results (SA 1st)	Position	Tries	Dates	Venue
1.	New Zealand	5–11	Flank		1 Sep 1956	Eden Park, Auckland

See also

• List of South Africa national rugby union players – Springbok no. 336