About Lofty Nel
Lived 1935 – 2016 (aged 80). Lofty Nel was a rugby union player.
Johannes Arnoldus "Lofty" Nel (11 August 1935 – 18 July 2016) was a South African rugby union international who represented the Springboks in 11 Test matches as a flanker and number eight.
Nicknamed "Lofty" on account of his 193 cm frame, Nel was born in Pretoria and educated at Hoërskool Jan van Riebeeck, a school in Randfontein. He was a nephew of former Natal and Northern Transvaal captain Hennie Nel.
Nel debuted for the Springboks in the 1960 Johannesburg Test against the All Blacks. Of his 11 Test matches, eight came against the All Blacks and he was the first Springbok to appear against three successive New Zealand teams (1960, 1965 and 1970).
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Lofty Nel?
rugby union player (1935-)
When was Lofty Nel born?
Lofty Nel was born on 11 August 1935.
When did Lofty Nel die?
Lofty Nel died on 18 July 2016.
What was Lofty Nel's occupation?
Lofty Nel was a rugby union player.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lofty Nel. https://biography.guide/lofty-nel/
MLA: "Lofty Nel." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lofty-nel/.
Chicago: "Lofty Nel." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lofty-nel/.
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