Nelie Smith
Full names: Cornelius Michael
Date of birth: 8 May 1934
Place of birth: Bloemfontein
School: Sentraal
Springbok no: 389
Debut test province: Orange Free State
Physical: 1.75m, 77.1kg
Date of death: 2 May 2016 (Age 81)

Test summary: Tests: 7 Tries: 1

First Test: 24 Aug 1963 Age:29 Scrumhalf against Australia at Ellispark, Johannesburg

Last Test: 21 Aug 1965 Age:31 Scrumhalf against New Zealand at Carisbrook, Dunedin

Test history:

Date	Age	Position	Opponent	Result	Score	Venue	Prov
24 Aug 1963	29	Scrumhalf	Australia	Lose: 9-11	3 penalties	Ellispark, Johannesburg	OFS
07 Sep 1963	29	Scrumhalf	Australia	Win: 22-6		Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth	OFS
23 May 1964	30	Scrumhalf	Wales	Win: 24-3	1 try	Kingspark, Durban	OFS
25 Jul 1964	30	Scrumhalf (C)	France	Lose: 6-8		P.A.M. Brink Stadium, Springs	OFS
19 Jun 1965	31	Scrumhalf (C)	Australia	Lose: 11-18		Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	OFS
26 Jun 1965	31	Scrumhalf (C)	Australia	Lose: 8-12		Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane	OFS
21 Aug 1965	31	Scrumhalf (C)	New Zealand	Lose: 0-13		Carisbrook, Dunedin	OFS

Nelie Smith : Doc Craven

If ever a man made rugby his life, that man was Nelie Smith. As a player he gave everything, but it was when he started coaching that it became more apparent that the game was his consuming interest.

When he couldn't get what he wanted in South Africa, he left for Italy where he carried on the good work. He is now back in South Africa, and I hope he will carry on where he left off before going abroad again.

Nelie enjoyed great success while coaching Orange Free State, to the extent that they won the Currie Cup in 1976, beating Western Province in the final.

I'm not sure whether any Springbok team he coached were ever beaten and in Rovigo, Italy, he experienced the same sucess as he had here. A gifted player and an even more gifted coach.