News Comment

A dramatic day & a tough match but a 15-12 South Africa win over the All Blacks. Their captain Francois Pienaar received the World Cup from his President Nelson Mandela.

GAINSFORD, JOHN
Western Province and South Africa
33 internationals for Sth Africa 1960–67

One of South Africa’s greatest players, John Gainsford played in what was then a record number of internationals for a centre in the Springbok colours.

A big, strong-running centre with positive instincts for attack, he made his first-class debut as a 19-year-old, before joining the Junior Springboks for their 1959 tour of Argentina. He came into the South African test team in 1960, when he appeared in the only test against the Scotland touring team and in all four games the same season against the All Blacks. Thereafter, until 1967, only injury kept him out of test teams.

In his seven seasons as a Springbok, Gainsford earned world-wide respect. After only five years he became the highest-capped South African player, beating the old mark of 28 tests, held by Johan Claassen, in the third test at Christchurch on the 1965 New Zealand tour. This was a feat which he celebrated by scoring two brilliant tries as the Springboks came back from 5–16 at half-time to score a notable victory.

At the time of his retirement, after the 1967 tour by France, Gainsford was also South Africa’s top test try-scorer, with eight tries. Both his appearances and try tally records were broken in subsequent years, but it took until 2001 before Japie Mulder passed his record for being South Africa’s highest-capped centre.

93%. (Played 100, won 93, drew 3, lost 4)