Springbok no. 348 · Outside Centre

John Gainsford

John Leslie Gainsford · WP, SWD

33Tests

8Tries

3Tours

21Age at debut

Test career

196019631967

First test

30 Apr 1960, age 21 · Outside Centre v Scotland, Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth

Last test

29 Jul 1967, age 28 · Outside Centre v France, Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Biography

John Gainsford was a big, powerful outside centre and one of the best of his generation. Born in Germiston on 4 August 1938, he played for Villagers, Western Province and South Western Districts, and won 33 caps between 1960 and 1967, all at outside centre.

His trademark was a sharp break off his left foot. He scored eight Test tries, including two in the 19–16 win over New Zealand in Christchurch in 1965, and one in the 34–14 win over the 1962 British Isles side. He died on 18 November 2015.

Test history

33 tests · 24 points

Date	Opponent	Venue	Position	Result	Province
30 Apr 1960	Scotland	Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth	Outside Centre	W 18–10	WP
25 Jun 1960	New Zealand	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Outside Centre	W 13–0	WP
23 Jul 1960	New Zealand	Newlands, Cape Town	Outside Centre	L 3–11	WP
13 Aug 1960	New Zealand	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein	Outside Centre	D 11–11	WP
27 Aug 1960	New Zealand	Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth	Outside Centre	W 8–3	WP
03 Dec 1960	Wales	Millennium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff	Outside Centre	W 3–0	WP
17 Dec 1960	Ireland	Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin	Outside Centre	W 8–3	WP
07 Jan 1961	England	Twickenham, London	Outside Centre	W 5–0	WP
21 Jan 1961	Scotland	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	Outside Centre	W 12–5	WP
18 Feb 1961	France	Stade Olympique, Colombes, Paris	Outside Centre	D 0–0	WP
05 Aug 1961	Australia	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Outside Centre	W 28–3	WP
12 Aug 1961	Australia	Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth	Outside Centre	W 23–11	WP
23 Jun 1962	Britain	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Outside Centre	D 3–3	SWD
21 Jul 1962	Britain	Kings Park, Durban	Outside Centre	W 3–0	SWD
04 Aug 1962	Britain	Newlands, Cape Town	Outside Centre	W 8–3	SWD
25 Aug 1962	Britain	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein	Outside Centre	W 34–14	SWD
13 Jul 1963	Australia	Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria	Outside Centre	W 14–3	SWD
10 Aug 1963	Australia	Newlands, Cape Town	Outside Centre	L 5–9	SWD
24 Aug 1963	Australia	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Outside Centre	L 9–11	SWD
07 Sep 1963	Australia	Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth	Outside Centre	W 22–6	SWD
23 May 1964	Wales	Kings Park, Durban	Outside Centre	W 24–3	WP
25 Jul 1964	France	P.A.M. Brink Stadium, Springs	Outside Centre	L 6–8	WP
10 Apr 1965	Ireland	Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), Dublin	Outside Centre	L 6–9	WP
17 Apr 1965	Scotland	Murrayfield, Edinburgh	Outside Centre	L 5–8	WP
19 Jun 1965	Australia	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	Outside Centre	L 11–18	WP
26 Jun 1965	Australia	Brisbane Stadium (Lang Park), Brisbane	Outside Centre	L 8–12	WP
31 Jul 1965	New Zealand	Athletic Park, Wellington	Outside Centre	L 3–6	WP
21 Aug 1965	New Zealand	Carisbrook, Dunedin	Outside Centre	L 0–13	WP
04 Sep 1965	New Zealand	Lancaster Park (Jade stadium), Christchurch	Outside Centre	W 19–16	WP
18 Sep 1965	New Zealand	Eden Park, Auckland	Outside Centre	L 3–20	WP
15 Jul 1967	France	Kings Park, Durban	Outside Centre	W 26–3	WP
22 Jul 1967	France	Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein	Outside Centre	W 16–3	WP
29 Jul 1967	France	Ellis Park, Johannesburg	Outside Centre	L 14–19	WP