Philip Jakobus was die seun van Johannes Petrus Nel en Margaretha Cornelia Maritz.
Name Philip Jacobus Nel
Sex Male Age
27 years
Birth Date 1902
Spouse's Name Jose Edna Havemann
Spouse's Sex Female
Spouse's Age
21 years
Spouse's Birth Date 1908
Event Type Marriage
Event Date
1929
Event Place Greytown, Natal, South Africa
Source Details none
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDC1-RV4
Philip Jacobus Nel (17 June
1902, in Kranskop district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – 11 February 1984,
in Greytown) was a former South African Springbok captain.
The son of Piet Nel and Kitty Maritz, he was educated at
Maritzburg College, matriculating as Head Prefect and captain of the rugby
First XV in 1921. Nel enjoyed the rare distinction of earning a Natal (open)
rugby cap while still at school. He made his debut for the Springboks against
the 1928 All Blacks, and captained the side in 1933 (against the Wallabies) and
on the all-conquering tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1937. Known
affectionately as "The Greatest Springboks", Nel's 1937 team remains
the only Springbok team ever to have won a test series in New Zealand. Nel saw action in World War II, serving as a major in the Umvoti
Mounted Rifles. Married to Jose Havemann, they produced a family of 4 children.
Affectionately known as "oom Flip", he farmed at 'Vetspruit' and died
at his home in Greytown on 11 February 1984, after a long illness. (http://www.liquisearch.com/philip_j_nel)
Die onderstaande is deur SupaRugby op Facebook geplaas:
17 Junie 2022
Phillip Jacobus Nel was born on a farm in the Kranskop district of Natal in 1902. He saw his first game of rugby at the age of fifteen after enrolling as a pupil at Maritzburg College.
It was while still a pupil at Maritzburg College that he made his debut for Natal at provincial level in 1921 under the captaincy of Herbie Taylor. Phillip recounted how he was dropped out of the reckoning by the selectors for the years 1922 and 1923, due to the fact that he had to play for his school 1st XV, but by 1924 he was back and moving on with his illustrious career.
After leaving school Phillip continued to play rugby even though it meant he had to ride his horse thirty miles to Greytown so that he and a few mates could take a taxi to Pietermaritzburg to play for their club (Old Collegians, Maritzburg) on Saturday afternoons.
After the game this whole process was repeated. Phillip went on to play a total of sixty-two games for Natal between 1921 and 1936.
He was first chosen to play for South Africa against the touring All Blacks of 1928. He made his debut at lock in the first test at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday 30 June 1928. South Africa went on to win the test 17 - 0.
He subsequently played lock in all three of the remaining tests. The series ended in a 2-2 draw.
He was then selected for the Springboks third tour of the British Isles in 1931 under the captaincy of Bennie Osler. He played in all four tests against Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland. The Springboks returned home undefeated in all four tests, in fact the Springboks won twenty-three of the twenty-six games played on tour. The only loss was to Midlands Counties 21-30, the other two matches having been drawn. The Springboks scored 407 points with 124 being scored against them.
With the upcoming Australian tour of 1933 the selectors decided to hold a number of trial games, so Phillip with another 120 players arrived in Cape Town to participate in a week of trials at the Newlands Stadium culminating with the final trial on the Saturday afternoon.
It was late on Sunday morning at the players Sea Point hotel that Bill Schreiner, one of the selectors made an appearance. He pinned a piece of paper on the hotel notice board, everyone knew this would be the team to play the first test. Phillip who had played in all eight of the previous tests was relieved to see his name on the list as one of the two lock forwards. To his surprise he had also been named as captain.
Bennie Osler, undefeated in the test series in Britain the previous year, had unceremoniously been dropped as captain. (How often has this been repeated over the years?) Within minutes of the announcement there was a telephone call for Phillip. It was Bennie Osler calling from his hotel room. He wanted to congratulate Phillip on his appointment and to pledge his support for the new captain.
‘I regretted very much that Bennie had been deposed as captain after our winning tour to Britain,’ Nel reflected later. ‘On hearing the news, I felt that some kind of injustice had been done to him. His telephone call was as fine a sporting gesture as I have come across. Bennie and I always remained great friends and I always admired his approach to the game tremendously.’
The Springboks duly won the first test at Newlands 17-3. Ironically with Phillip injured, Bennie had to be restored as Captain for the second test in Durban. He duly outlined the game plan that the team would adopt for the second test. He decided to heed the calls of his critics in the press and adopted the risky open rugby they had called for so as no surprise to himself South Africa lost the test 21-6.
Phillip returned as captain for the third test at Ellis Park. South Africa won the game 12-3. He also led South Africa to an 11-0 victory in the fourth test in Port Elizabeth. With the series already decided and both teams preferring to be at home, Australia won an uninspiring test 12-4. One thing that did come out of this was that a series should not exceed four tests.
By the end of 1933, Phillip had grown tired of all the travelling to play club rugby and even more the travelling to play for Natal in Durban but he continued to play the occasional game for Natal when required. So when he was summoned to play in the South African trials in April of 1937 he did not hesitate in accepting the call. With ninety-six other players he arrived in Cape Town to participate in a series of trial matches at Newlands.
After the final trial the selectors moved to the Civil Service Club to make their final decisions. The players trooped off to their Metropole Hotel for the long wait, finally after five hours of deliberation Bill Schreiner arrived at the hotel to announce the twenty nine names of the players that would represent South Africa on the second tour to Australia and New Zealand and so from a balcony on the first floor, the name of each player was read out and Phillip Nel was also named as captain of the tour party, Phillip concluded the proceedings by announcing ‘I think these players will mould into the greatest side I have ever known’.
After two grueling weeks at sea (by which time Phillip had talked to each player individually, mapping out what he expected from them), the Springboks arrived in Freemantle near Perth on the 30th June for their Australian part of the tour. Phillip led South Africa to victory in both tests, winning 9-5 in Sydney on 26th June 1937 and 26-17 on 1 7th July 1937.
The Springboks started their tour of New Zealand with five straight victories. But after four days of constant rain and with the promise of rain expected for the first test at Wellington the five player selection panel panicked, when the side was announced Phillip had been dropped and Craven moved from scrum-half to fly-half and captain. (Wynand, you were not the first!). South Africa duly lost the first test 13-7.
Sanity prevailed before the second test and Phillip was once again selected as captain and Craven back at scrum-half. South Africa won 13-6. The side for the third and final test was named with only one change from that of the second test. White had been replaced by Lochner. South Africa went on to win the third test at Eden Park by 17-6.
South Africa had won the series and were crowned unofficial world champions.
Phillip Nel had led South Africa to the first series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand. The full tour record was as follows: played 28 won 26 lost 2.
Phillip recalled ‘It was an honour to Captain this team, that not only played rugby football in the best tradition of the game, but also proved that bright football is not necessarily losing football. ‘The 1933 Wallabies reminded us of all the thrills of open football and, while we have endeavored not to play with the some degree of recklessness, we have followed their lead. In so doing I hope we have persuaded everyone that there is no need to tinker with the laws of the game, or introduce special amendments to make the game attractive’.
Phillip Nel will always be remembered as the gentleman who led South Africa to a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand, (This feat has never been and may never be equaled).
Phillip announced his retirement from the game of rugby by throwing his boots into the sea on the return voyage from New Zealand to South Africa.
Phillip Nel’s legacy lives on with his granddaughter captaining the Northern Transvaal provincial ladies rugby team.
Phillip Nel’s record:
Lock and prop in 16 test matches (13-3-0) vs. New Zealand 1928 (4) 1937 (2) (4-2-0)
vs. Wales, Ireland, England, Scotland 1931-2 (4-0-0)
Die onderstaande is deur SupaRugby op Facebook geplaas:
17 Junie 2022
Phillip Jacobus Nel was born on a farm in the Kranskop district of Natal in 1902. He saw his first game of rugby at the age of fifteen after enrolling as a pupil at Maritzburg College.
It was while still a pupil at Maritzburg College that he made his debut for Natal at provincial level in 1921 under the captaincy of Herbie Taylor. Phillip recounted how he was dropped out of the reckoning by the selectors for the years 1922 and 1923, due to the fact that he had to play for his school 1st XV, but by 1924 he was back and moving on with his illustrious career.
After leaving school Phillip continued to play rugby even though it meant he had to ride his horse thirty miles to Greytown so that he and a few mates could take a taxi to Pietermaritzburg to play for their club (Old Collegians, Maritzburg) on Saturday afternoons.
After the game this whole process was repeated. Phillip went on to play a total of sixty-two games for Natal between 1921 and 1936.
He was first chosen to play for South Africa against the touring All Blacks of 1928. He made his debut at lock in the first test at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday 30 June 1928. South Africa went on to win the test 17 - 0.
He subsequently played lock in all three of the remaining tests. The series ended in a 2-2 draw.
He was then selected for the Springboks third tour of the British Isles in 1931 under the captaincy of Bennie Osler. He played in all four tests against Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland. The Springboks returned home undefeated in all four tests, in fact the Springboks won twenty-three of the twenty-six games played on tour. The only loss was to Midlands Counties 21-30, the other two matches having been drawn. The Springboks scored 407 points with 124 being scored against them.
With the upcoming Australian tour of 1933 the selectors decided to hold a number of trial games, so Phillip with another 120 players arrived in Cape Town to participate in a week of trials at the Newlands Stadium culminating with the final trial on the Saturday afternoon.
It was late on Sunday morning at the players Sea Point hotel that Bill Schreiner, one of the selectors made an appearance. He pinned a piece of paper on the hotel notice board, everyone knew this would be the team to play the first test. Phillip who had played in all eight of the previous tests was relieved to see his name on the list as one of the two lock forwards. To his surprise he had also been named as captain.
Bennie Osler, undefeated in the test series in Britain the previous year, had unceremoniously been dropped as captain. (How often has this been repeated over the years?) Within minutes of the announcement there was a telephone call for Phillip. It was Bennie Osler calling from his hotel room. He wanted to congratulate Phillip on his appointment and to pledge his support for the new captain.
‘I regretted very much that Bennie had been deposed as captain after our winning tour to Britain,’ Nel reflected later. ‘On hearing the news, I felt that some kind of injustice had been done to him. His telephone call was as fine a sporting gesture as I have come across. Bennie and I always remained great friends and I always admired his approach to the game tremendously.’
The Springboks duly won the first test at Newlands 17-3. Ironically with Phillip injured, Bennie had to be restored as Captain for the second test in Durban. He duly outlined the game plan that the team would adopt for the second test. He decided to heed the calls of his critics in the press and adopted the risky open rugby they had called for so as no surprise to himself South Africa lost the test 21-6.
Phillip returned as captain for the third test at Ellis Park. South Africa won the game 12-3. He also led South Africa to an 11-0 victory in the fourth test in Port Elizabeth. With the series already decided and both teams preferring to be at home, Australia won an uninspiring test 12-4. One thing that did come out of this was that a series should not exceed four tests.
By the end of 1933, Phillip had grown tired of all the travelling to play club rugby and even more the travelling to play for Natal in Durban but he continued to play the occasional game for Natal when required. So when he was summoned to play in the South African trials in April of 1937 he did not hesitate in accepting the call. With ninety-six other players he arrived in Cape Town to participate in a series of trial matches at Newlands.
After the final trial the selectors moved to the Civil Service Club to make their final decisions. The players trooped off to their Metropole Hotel for the long wait, finally after five hours of deliberation Bill Schreiner arrived at the hotel to announce the twenty nine names of the players that would represent South Africa on the second tour to Australia and New Zealand and so from a balcony on the first floor, the name of each player was read out and Phillip Nel was also named as captain of the tour party, Phillip concluded the proceedings by announcing ‘I think these players will mould into the greatest side I have ever known’.
After two grueling weeks at sea (by which time Phillip had talked to each player individually, mapping out what he expected from them), the Springboks arrived in Freemantle near Perth on the 30th June for their Australian part of the tour. Phillip led South Africa to victory in both tests, winning 9-5 in Sydney on 26th June 1937 and 26-17 on 1 7th July 1937.
The Springboks started their tour of New Zealand with five straight victories. But after four days of constant rain and with the promise of rain expected for the first test at Wellington the five player selection panel panicked, when the side was announced Phillip had been dropped and Craven moved from scrum-half to fly-half and captain. (Wynand, you were not the first!). South Africa duly lost the first test 13-7.
Sanity prevailed before the second test and Phillip was once again selected as captain and Craven back at scrum-half. South Africa won 13-6. The side for the third and final test was named with only one change from that of the second test. White had been replaced by Lochner. South Africa went on to win the third test at Eden Park by 17-6.
South Africa had won the series and were crowned unofficial world champions.
Phillip Nel had led South Africa to the first series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand. The full tour record was as follows: played 28 won 26 lost 2.
Phillip recalled ‘It was an honour to Captain this team, that not only played rugby football in the best tradition of the game, but also proved that bright football is not necessarily losing football. ‘The 1933 Wallabies reminded us of all the thrills of open football and, while we have endeavored not to play with the some degree of recklessness, we have followed their lead. In so doing I hope we have persuaded everyone that there is no need to tinker with the laws of the game, or introduce special amendments to make the game attractive’.
Phillip Nel will always be remembered as the gentleman who led South Africa to a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand, (This feat has never been and may never be equaled).
Phillip announced his retirement from the game of rugby by throwing his boots into the sea on the return voyage from New Zealand to South Africa.
Phillip Nel’s legacy lives on with his granddaughter captaining the Northern Transvaal provincial ladies rugby team.
Phillip Nel’s record:
Lock and prop in 16 test matches (13-3-0) vs. New Zealand 1928 (4) 1937 (2) (4-2-0)
vs. Wales, Ireland, England, Scotland 1931-2 (4-0-0)
vs. Australia 1933 (4) 1937 (2) (5-1 -0
Memorial tablet at 'Menneheim' near Greytown
