Jan Ellis

Jan Hendrik Ellis (5 January 1942 – 8 February 2013) was a South African rugby union player who represented the Springboks in 38 tests, which at his retirement in 1976 was a record.

In 1962 the 20-year-old Ellis was selected at lock for South West Africa's 12 June match at Windhoek's Suidwes Stadion against the British Lions, who were touring South Africa.

Although he was selected at lock again for South West's game against Northern Transvaal on 30 June, he was moved to flank for subsequent matches that year against Free State and Western Province.

Between 1962 and 1969 Ellis played lock, flank, and number eight for South West Africa.

Encouraged, he moved to Pretoria in 1963 where he joined the Harlequins club with ambitions to play for Northern Transvaal.

But when he was not selected, Ellis returned to his brother's farm near Gobabis, determined never to play rugby again.

Afrikaans radio commentator Gerhard Viviers recalled that Ellis did not even want to visit Gobabis, but when he was forced to go to there to pick up a spare part for his brother's tractor one day, he was convinced to play for the town team that afternoon.

In 1964 he was invited to the Springbok trials and won a place on the Springbok touring side to Australia and New Zealand in 1965.

Once he left school Ellis moved to Windhoek to be part of a larger rugby community, playing for the United Rugby Club (1965) and Windhoek Wanderers (1966–) as well as in South Africa for Kempton Park.

At the age of 22 Ellis made his test debut against the All Blacks in Wellington on 31 July 1965, replacing Frik du Preez who was moved to lock alongside Tiny Naudé.

He was chosen to play for various South African development sides, such as the 1966 South African Gazelles tour to Argentina on which he played 9 matches and scored 17 tries, as well as South African Country and South African Barbarian teams.

Struggling with an injury in 1967, he was at first not selected to attend the Springbok trials prior to the visit by the French national side.

When he recovered quicker than expected, the national selectors invited him to play for Durban Collegians in a curtain-raiser to the trials, and he performed well enough to be included in the Springbok squad.

Ellis' talents were best displayed when he was paired with flanker Piet Greyling, a combination initiated during France's 1967 tour to South Africa.

Greyling excelled in close-quarter ball-recovery at breakdowns, allowing Ellis to defend wider out and play the attacking role.

They played 25 tests together, and Ellis and Greyling's effective disruption of the breakdowns was a major contribution to South Africa's home victory over the touring 1970 All Blacks.

Ellis is remembered for his speed, sidestep, and ability to hand off opponents—talents most famously on display in the two tries he scored at Twickenham against The Barbarian invitational side on 31 January 1970, with the ball "clutched in one big, freckled hand and running with perfect balance".

For one try Ellis sprinted 40m, evading four defenders with sidesteps, a change of pace and a feinted pass that wrongfooted Ireland center Mike Gibson.

Among his Springbok teammates only wing Syd Nomis could out-sprint Ellis, whose loping long strides made him appear slower than he was.

Danie Craven described Ellis as a surprisingly mobile player who could run and sidestep like a back.

Among three Springboks invited to participate in the first unofficial rugby sevens world cup in 1973, he was ranked in 2003 as the 12th greatest Springbok of all time.

Born in South Africa, Ellis' family moved to the then-South African protectorate of South West Africa, where he attended school in Gobabis, a town in a sheep and cattle-farming region.

While a pupil at Wennie Du Plessis High School Ellis played in various positions, including fullback.

He gained selection to the South West African Schools side, in which he was appointed captain.

Ellis would play for his high school in the mornings and turn out for the town's senior team later in the day.

As part of the Scottish Rugby Union's centenary celebrations in 1973 Ellis was invited to play in a SRU's presidents XV on 31 March 1973 against Scotland.

In April he and Greyling were selected for SRU's President's VIIs side which contested the first unofficial rugby sevens world cup, featuring teams from all eight members of the then-International Rugby Board.

Although South Africa was not invited, Springbok fullback Ray Carlson was included alongside Ellis and Greyling.

Ellis played his final match for South West Africa in their 31 August 1974 contest at the Suidwes Stadion against Griqualand West as captain.

He scored two tries in their 61–21 defeat of the visitors.

He became a permanent fixture in this position until his last test against New Zealand on 24 July 1976 in Durban.

His final match at the age of 34 for the Springboks was the first test against the 1976 All Blacks at Kings Park, Durban, on 24 July 1976.

An uncharacteristically lucklustre performance contributed to his omission from the national squad for good.

His 7 test tries equalled Ferdie Bergh's record for forwards and were only surpassed in 1997 by Mark Andrews' 12 tries.

Playing on the flank, Ellis was instantly recognisable on the field due to his red hair and uncompromising playing style.

In 2009 he recalled his period at United as among his most enjoyable playing experiences.

Determined from early on to make a name for himself as a rugby player, Ellis adhered to a punishing fitness regime throughout his career.

He was frequently seen around Windhoek running up sand dunes and carrying rocks in his hands to increase his gripping strength.

Fellow Springbok Gert Brynard later recalled how during a pre-test fitness session of 14 circuits around two rugby fields Ellis outstripped the rest of the squad.

Teammate Jannie Engelbrecht remembered Ellis as always acting as the pace-maker in training runs, and that he would continue on after others would stop.