Jan Ellis

Jan Ellis
Birth nameJan Hendrik Ellis
Date of birth5 January 1942[1]
Place of birthBrakpan, South Africa[1]
Date of death5 February 2013(2013-02-05) (aged 71)
Place of deathPretoria
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb)[2]
SpouseHeila
ChildrenJan (son), Petro (daughter), five grandchildren[3]
Occupation(s)Business owner
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1964–74 South West Africa[6][7][8] 50 (183)
1975–76 Transvaal[9] ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1965–1976 South Africa[4][1][5] 38 (21)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
1973 SRU President's VII 1

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.[6] His 7 test tries equalled Ferdie Bergh's record for forwards and were only surpassed in 1997 by Mark Andrews' 12 tries.[10] Playing on the flank, Ellis was instantly recognisable on the field due to his red hair and uncompromising playing style.[2] 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.[10][11] [12]

  1. ^ a b c "Player Profile: Jan Ellis". SA Rugby. SA Rugby Union. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Jones, Harry (17 April 2015). "Battling adversity: Two Springbok loose forwards show the way". The Roar. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Burger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Player – Jan Ellis, South Africa". ESPN. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  5. ^ Ellis scored 7 tries, which his ESPN Scrum profile adds up to 21 points, while his SARU profile says he scored 35 points.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Supersport was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Duiwel was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Ellis scored 32 tries, 33 conversions, and 7 penalties for South West Africa, but as the dates for each score is uncertain, the minimum possible total point value is given. Rugby union's scoring system was revised in 1971 so that tries were worth 4 points, instead of 3, their previous value.
  9. ^ "Springbok legend Jan Ellis dies". ESPN. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Martin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Colquhoun, Andy; Dobson, Paul (2003). The Chosen: The 50 Greatest Springboks of All Time. Wynberg, SA: Don Nelson. ISBN 9781868062119. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Joost among 50 greatest Boks". Cape Argus. 9 November 2003. Retrieved 18 April 2018.