Skonk Nicholson
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Skonk Nicholson is well-known, retired rugby coach and school master of Maritzburg College. He is often credited with having trained large numbers of Springbok players, and is an iconic figure of schoolboy rugby in Pietermaritzburg, and indeed, South Africa.
[edit] History
Skonk started out his academic teaching career at Durban High School before the Second World War broke out. After war subsided, Skonk left DHS to begin his career anew at Maritzburg College, where he taught and coached the 1st XI rugby team from 1948 to 1982.
Under his leadership, Maritzburg College came to be one of the sporting powerhouses of South Africa, with many years holding 1st place, boasting an unrivalled 14 unbeaten teams.
[edit] Coaching
Skonk has coached many players, many of whom have played or are playing in international or national rugby sides. Names of these players include George van Reenen, Keith Oxlee, Ormie Taylor, Andy van der Watt, Joel Stransky (of World Cup 1995 fame), Jeremy Thomson, Pieter Dixon and Butch James. This exposure to internationally-acclaimed rugby stars has made Skonk one of the most recognised faces in South African rugby.
The name "Skonk" is actually from the shortened Xhosa word iskonkwa, which translated means "As strong as an ox", a nickname which has stuck from his youth.
The locker room to Maritzburg College's main rugby field, Goldstones, has an archway named "Nicholson's Arch"; players reach up and touch the apex of the arch as they run through it on to the rugby field.
Skonk has co-written a book together with Toby Wiblin, detailing the complex and often turbulent history of Maritzburg College and its rugby, entitled Jimeloyo-Ji (College warcry).
