Lofty Nel

Johannes Arnoldus "Lofty" Nel (11 August 1935 – 18 July 2016) was a South African rugby union international who represented the Springboks in 11 Test matches as a flanker and number eight.[1]

Lofty Nel
Full nameJohannes Arnoldus Nel
Date of birth(1935-08-11)11 August 1935
Place of birthPretoria, South Africa
Date of death18 July 2016(2016-07-18) (aged 80)
Place of deathPretoria, South Africa
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight217 lb (98 kg)
SchoolHoërskool Jan van Riebeeck
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
Transvaal
Western Transvaal
South Eastern Transvaal		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1960–70 South Africa 11 (0)

Nicknamed "Lofty" on account of his 193 cm frame, Nel was born in Pretoria and educated at Hoërskool Jan van Riebeeck, a school in Randfontein. He was a nephew of former Natal and Northern Transvaal captain Hennie Nel.[2]

Nel debuted for the Springboks in the 1960 Johannesburg Test against the All Blacks. Of his 11 Test matches, eight came against the All Blacks and he was the first Springbok to appear against three successive New Zealand teams (1960, 1965 and 1970).[2]

At provincial level, Nel started out at Transvaal but spent most of his career at Western Transvaal, captaining them to the 1964 SARB Board Trophy. His only son, Pieter, played for Northern Transvaal as a centre and wing from 1987 to 1992.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Ex-Springbok Lofty Nel passes away". News 24. 19 July 2016.
  2. "Lofty Nel dies at 80". rugby365.com. 19 July 2016.
  3. "Lofty Nel dies at 80". Rekord East. 20 July 2016.
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