Jan Prinsloo
Full names: Jacobus Casparus
Date of birth: 28 Jan 1935
Place of birth: Pretoria
School: Warmbad
Springbok no: 338
Springbok debut province: Transvaal
Physical: 1.80m, 83.9kg
Date of death: 28 Jul 1966 (Age 31)
Test summary: Tests: 2 Tries: 0
First Test: 26 Jul 1958 Age 23 - Right Wing against France at Newlands, Cape Town
Last Test: 16 Aug 1958 Age 23 - Right Wing against France at Ellispark, Johannesburg
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
26 Jul 1958 23Right Wing France Newlands, Cape Town Draw: 3-3  Tvl
16 Aug 1958 23Right Wing France Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 5-9  Tvl

B: 18/5/1935 Pretoria
D: 27/7/1966 Wellington

Johannes “Jan” Albertus Prinsloo was signed by St Helens rugby league from South African rugby union as a winger in 1958. With scintillating pace he went on to become one of the great wingers in England representing a highly creditable strike rate of 78.65 tries per 100 matches.

He scored his first try for the team as part of a two try debut against Rochdale Hornets. That season he scored hat tricks against Salford and Blacktown Borough for a season total of 27 tries from 31 matches.

Jan played a vital part in finishing dazzling moves for many a St Helens victory including the sensational 1959 Championship final win of 44 - 22 over a great Hunslet side where he exhibited a fabulous touchline dash rounded off with his trademark "swallow dive".

In the 1959/1960 season, Jan scored 4 tries against Liverpool City and 3 against Hull finishing the year with 29 tries from 38 matches. The following year brought more success with a hat trick against Workington Town.

During his time at St Helens he had the daunting task of wearing the number 5 jersey at the same time Tom Van Vollenhoven was setting the world on fire on the other wing.

In 1960 , Jan also won a Lancashire cup winners medal when St Helens defeated Swinton 15 – 9 in front of a crowd of over 31 000 at Central park. He signed with Wakefield Trinity where his amazing try scoring feats continued.

Johannes “Jan” Albertus Prinsloo’s record and strike rate demonstrates what a fine finisher he was:

St Helens 89 matches 70 tries
Wakefield Trinity 48 matches 45 tries