Why is Dud Allende a center and Kolisi a flank

I figured out this bit of physics:

Mozart

Hall Of Fame

41786 posts

Nov 24, 2017, 15:12

Seems to be a bit of Rassie momentum building....I’m not a fan, but a 2 year assignment might suit him better 

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YAWN

"Back in the seventies the Bokke played a no.8 at scrumhalf, I can't remember the name but he was from Vrystaat."
His name was Gerrie Sonnekus and even though he only ever played 3 tests for the Springboks, he does hold two Springbok records.
He was first selected as a scrumhalf for the 3rd test against the great 1974 British Lions. The much-vaunted Springbok pack had been destroyed by the Lions in the first two tests and the selectors were in a panic. Their first choice scrumhalves Roy McCullum and Paul Bayvel were both injured and to try and add some more weight to the scrum, they selected Gerrie Sonnekus at scrumhalf even though he had only played the position a handful of times in his career and was primarily a #8, but such was the dismay of the Bok selectors at getting beaten so badly in the scrums, they decided on Sonnekus hoping that he could pack down with the forwards when necessary.
It was a disastrous decision and the Lions demolished the Springboks again in the 3rd Test (and won the massive fight as well).
Sonnekus was dropped like a hot potato and went back to play provincial rugby for the Free State for the next 10 years, but was then picked again by the Springbok selectors 10 years later when England toured here in 1984. In being selected, Sonnekus set two records. Firstly, he was picked in his normal position of #8 this time and became the first (and to my knowledge the only) Springbok to be selected to start as a back and as a forward. His second record is that of the longest gap between selections . . . July 1974 until June 1984, 9 years and 11 months. He played one more test for the Springboks in the second test of that 1984 England tour and scored a try.