Hennie van Zyl
Full names: Hendrik Jacobus
Date of birth: 31 Jan 1936
Place of birth: Ventersdorp
School: Ventersdorp
Springbok no: 357
Debut test province: Transvaal
Physical: 1.88m, 88.5kg
Current age: 88

Test summary: Tests: 10 Tries: 6
First Test: 25 Jun 1960 Age:24 Left Wing against New Zealand at Ellispark, Johannesburg
Last Test: 12 Aug 1961 Age:25 Left Wing against Australia at Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
25 Jun 196024Left WingNew ZealandWin: 13-02 triesEllispark, JohannesburgTvl
23 Jul 196024Left WingNew ZealandLose: 3-11 Newlands, Cape TownTvl
13 Aug 196024Left WingNew ZealandDraw: 11-11 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinTvl
27 Aug 196024Left WingNew ZealandWin: 8-3 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethTvl
17 Dec 196024Left WingIrelandWin: 8-3 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinTvl
07 Jan 196124Left WingEnglandWin: 5-0 Twickenham, LondonTvl
21 Jan 196124Left WingScotlandWin: 12-5 Murrayfield, EdinburghTvl
13 May 196125Left WingIrelandWin: 24-8 Newlands, Cape TownTvl
05 Aug 196125Left WingAustraliaWin: 28-33 triesEllispark, JohannesburgTvl
12 Aug 196125Left WingAustraliaWin: 23-111 tryBoet Erasmus, Port ElizabethTvl

Sketch in Springbok glory (1961) : JBG Thomas

Hendrik Jacobus van Zyl. This tall, long-striding wing-threequarter had a very good tour, only for it to end in tragedy for him. When the party arrived in Scotland he received the message that his father had been killed by lightning in the Western Transvaal, and I cannot think of anything worse for a young man to hear when, playing for his country, 6,000 miles from home. Hennie had become a popular figure, particularly in Wales, where he scored many excellent tries. He was much faster than he looked and an extremely difficult man to tackle, as his total of twelve tries suggests. His craggy face, with its serious expression, revealed a certain intensity of purpose, and if he decides to continue playing rugby he will remain a leading wing in South Africa, where the hard grounds must make him an even more formidable opponent. He started his rugby as a wing-forward and burst into the headlines in the First Test against New Zealand by scoring two brilliant tries which decided the match. Naturally, this secured his place in the remaining Tests in that series, but he was not first choice as a Test wing in Britain until Roux was injured.