Nelie Smith
Full names: Cornelius Michael
Date of birth: 8 May 1934
Place of birth: Bloemfontein
School: Sentraal
Springbok no: 389
Springbok debut 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
Tours Australia & New Zealand 1965
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentVenueResultScoreProvince
24 Aug 1963 29Scrumhalf Australia Ellispark, Johannesburg Lose: 9-113 penalties OFS
07 Sep 1963 29Scrumhalf Australia Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth Win: 22-6  OFS
23 May 1964 30Scrumhalf Wales Kingspark, Durban Win: 24-31 try OFS
25 Jul 1964 30Scrumhalf (C) France P.A.M. Brink Stadium, Springs Lose: 6-8  OFS
19 Jun 1965 31Scrumhalf (C) Australia Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Lose: 11-18  OFS
26 Jun 1965 31Scrumhalf (C) Australia Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane Lose: 8-12  OFS
21 Aug 1965 31Scrumhalf (C) New Zealand Carisbrook, Dunedin Lose: 0-13  OFS

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.