Leon - the Rugger Captain

8vo; original pale grey boards, lettered in black on spine; pictorial dustwrapper; pp. (iv) + 83. Dustwrapper rubbed and edgeworn, with tape reinforcing to reverse at head of spine panel; pages browned; some foxing. Good condition. Very uncommon: OCLC finds just two repositories holding this title, both in South Africa. Matthys Gerhardus ['Topsy'] Smith (1914-1985) is best known for his series of Afrikaans children's novels about the mischievous Trompie and his friends. Smith also wrote on rugby, in such books as 'Ons Springbokrugbyspelers en Tokkelosie' and 'Spannende gebeure in die sportwêreld'. In 'Leon - the Rugger Captain', the second in a series of four English novels on the schoolboy Leon of Clan College, children's literature and rugby union come together: "Leon Smith had come to Clan College from a small country town. Rather undeservedly the boys in his dormitory had ragged and bullied him mercilessly, while others completely ignored him. But his prowess on the cricket and rugby fields and his behaviour after he had given the college bully 'the hiding of his life' soon made him one of the most popular boys among the new-comers. Now he was captain of the under fourteen team, playing in the annual rugby clash with their old rivals, the Werda School.".…