Charlie Nimb was a neat, stocky flyhalf who played for Western Province in the late 1950s and early ’60s when their backline was virtually the Springbok backline.

As a relatively inexperienced 22-year-old he was selected as the reserve for the 1960-61 tour of the British Isles and France as back-up to Keith Oxlee.

A major disappointment for Nimb was that he only played in five early matches on tour, being injured in a mid-week match, and when Oxlee was injured for the Test against England at Twickenham, Dave Stewart, originally selected for the tour as a centre, took over the number 10 jersey.

The flexible Stewart also played flyhalf in the scoreless Test against France at Paris after a long and strenuous tour.

When Ireland made their first tour to South Africa in 1961, Nimb was called up for the one-off Test at Newlands, along with three other new caps - centre Colin Greenwood and right wing Ben-Piet van Zyl, who had been called up as a replacement on the 1960-61 tour, and lock Piet van Zyl, who had played 16 matches on the tour but had not played in a Test.

Nimb had a good game, kicking three conversions and a penalty in a 24-8 victory.

However, all four were fated to play only the one international, with Greenwood later turning to the professional ranks.

- Peter Martin