Jan Ellis
Full names: Jan Hendrik
Date of birth: 5 Jan 1942
Place of birth: Brakpan
School: Wennie Du Plessis
Springbok no: 415
Debut test province: South West Africa
Physical: 1.85m, 97.5kg
Date of death: 8 Feb 2013 (Age 71)

Test summary: Tests: 38 Tries: 7
First Test: 31 Jul 1965 Age:23 Flank against New Zealand at Athletic Park, Wellington
Last Test: 24 Jul 1976 Age:34 Flank against New Zealand at Kingspark, Durban
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
31 Jul 196523FlankNew ZealandLose: 3-6 Athletic Park, WellingtonSWA
21 Aug 196523FlankNew ZealandLose: 0-13 Carisbrook, DunedinSWA
04 Sep 196523FlankNew ZealandWin: 19-16 Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), ChristchurchSWA
18 Sep 196523FlankNew ZealandLose: 3-20 Eden Park, AucklandSWA
15 Jul 196725FlankFranceWin: 26-31 tryKingspark, DurbanSWA
22 Jul 196725FlankFranceWin: 16-3 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinSWA
29 Jul 196725FlankFranceLose: 14-191 tryEllispark, JohannesburgSWA
12 Aug 196725FlankFranceDraw: 6-6 Newlands, Cape TownSWA
08 Jun 196826FlankBritainWin: 25-20 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSWA
22 Jun 196826FlankBritainDraw: 6-6 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethSWA
13 Jul 196826FlankBritainWin: 11-6 Newlands, Cape TownSWA
27 Jul 196826FlankBritainWin: 19-61 tryEllispark, JohannesburgSWA
09 Nov 196826FlankFranceWin: 12-9 Stade Municipal, BordeauxSWA
16 Nov 196826FlankFranceWin: 16-11 Stade Olympique, Colombes, ParisSWA
02 Aug 196927FlankAustraliaWin: 30-111 tryEllispark, JohannesburgSWA
16 Aug 196927FlankAustraliaWin: 16-9 Kingspark, DurbanSWA
06 Sep 196927FlankAustraliaWin: 11-31 tryNewlands, Cape TownSWA
20 Sep 196927FlankAustraliaWin: 19-8 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinSWA
06 Dec 196927FlankScotlandLose: 3-6 Murrayfield, EdinburghSWA
10 Jan 197028FlankIrelandDraw: 8-8 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinSWA
24 Jan 197028FlankWalesDraw: 6-6 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffSWA
25 Jul 197028FlankNew ZealandWin: 17-6 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSWA
08 Aug 197028FlankNew ZealandLose: 8-9 Newlands, Cape TownSWA
29 Aug 197028FlankNew ZealandWin: 14-3 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethSWA
12 Sep 197028FlankNew ZealandWin: 20-17 Ellispark, JohannesburgSWA
12 Jun 197129FlankFranceWin: 22-9 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinSWA
19 Jun 197129FlankFranceDraw: 8-8 Kingspark, DurbanSWA
17 Jul 197129FlankAustraliaWin: 19-111 trySydney Cricket Ground, SydneySWA
31 Jul 197129FlankAustraliaWin: 14-6 Brisbane Exhibition Ground, BrisbaneSWA
07 Aug 197129FlankAustraliaWin: 18-61 trySydney Cricket Ground, SydneySWA
03 Jun 197230FlankEnglandLose: 9-18 Ellispark, JohannesburgSWA
08 Jun 197432FlankBritainLose: 3-12 Newlands, Cape TownSWA
22 Jun 197432FlankBritainLose: 9-28 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaSWA
13 Jul 197432FlankBritainLose: 9-26 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethSWA
27 Jul 197432FlankBritainDraw: 13-13 Ellispark, JohannesburgSWA
23 Nov 197432FlankFranceWin: 13-4 Stade Municipal, ToulouseSWA
30 Nov 197432FlankFranceWin: 10-8 Parc des Princes, ParisSWA
24 Jul 197634FlankNew ZealandWin: 16-7 Kingspark, DurbanTvl

Jan Ellis : Doc Craven

Jan Ellis in many respects, was a marvel. He made his reputation in South West Africa, well away from the main centres of recognised rugby and it took a great deal of determination as well as talent to rise to the top.

Only a very gifted player could do that because you only play as well as your company allows. The company you play in tends to restrict you - and with respect, he was not playing in the best of company when he represented South West Africa.

Yet he became a Springbok and he remained a Bok for a long time. Jan also had a difficult temperament, because he was an artist, and this did not always help him.

But he gave South Africa wonderful service in his many years of test rugby, 11 years in all. It takes a great player to play at international level for so long while out of the recognised mainstream.