Piet J van Zyl
Full names: Pieter Johannes
Date of birth: 23 Jul 1933
Place of birth: Porterville
School: Porterville
Springbok no: 373
Springbok debut province: Western Province
Physical: 1.93m, 102.1kg
Date of death: 28 May 1988 (Age 54)
Test summary: Tests: 1 Tries: 0
Only test: 13 May 1961 Age 27 - Lock against Ireland at Newlands, Cape Town
Tours British Isles, Ireland & France 1960-61
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
13 May 1961 27Lock Ireland Newlands, Cape Town Win: 24-8  WP

Tall, rangy Piet van Zyl was playing for Boland when he gained selection for the 1960-61 tour of the British Isles and France where he played 16 matches, two of them at flank.

However, he was unable to break into the Test team, with Johan Claassen and the captain Avril Malan carrying on with their successful partnership from the last two Tests of the All Blacks series, but he was one of four new players introduced to the Test scene in the one-off international against Ireland at Newlands in 1961, by which time he was playing for Western Province.

Although South Africa won the match comfortably 24-8, all four new caps – flyhalf Charlie Nimb, centre Colin Greenwood, right wing Ben-Piet van Zyl and Van Zyl, were never selected for South Africa again.

- Peter Martin