Syd Nomis

Sydney Nomis (15 November 1941 – 16 June 2018[1]) was a South African national rugby union player who until 2001 held the record for most consecutive matches (25) played for the Springboks.

Nomis played club rugby for Wanderers in Johannesburg, in a league that included Iscor, Diggers, Vanderbijlpark and Police teams.

[4] He revealed that while playing club rugby he also occasionally received slurs, with opponents calling him a "Blerrie Jood" [Afrikaans for "Bloody Jew"].

And national rugby official Danie Craven at the time believed that selecting a Jew and a policeman brought luck to the Springbok team.

In 1965 Nomis was selected at centre alongside John Gainsford for the side that left for Australia under coach Johan Claassen.

The Melbourne newspaper The Age was impressed with Nomis' and Gainsford's "incredible acceleration" during a 52–6 Springbok victory over Victoria at Olympic Park's no.

[4] For the first test at Newlands on 13 July 1968 against Tom Kiernan's touring British and Irish Lions he was switched to wing, where he played for the rest of his international career.

Continuous disruptions on and off the field by thousands of anti-apartheid demonstrators and associated strikes of service personnel created constant tension within the touring party.

" During the subsequent tour by the All Blacks to South Africa in the last half of 1970, Nomis tried to let the New Zealand players know that he did not vote for the apartheid government.

[4] Nomis scored one of his six test career tries against the French on a cold 16 November 1968 at the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in Colombes, northwest of Paris.

He later discovered that in commentary on the match South African radio broadcaster Charles Fortune had credited Roux with the try.

Intercepting a pass from All Black Wayne Cottrell to his captain, Brian Lochore, Nomis raced down the field, accompanied by the passionate shouting of "Siddie!

[18] On 8 August 1970 at Newlands in the second test against the touring side Nomis was felled by All Black fullback Fergie McCormick.

[2][5] During his career Nomis was offered contracts to play rugby league with Wigan (where his wife's parents lived) and Oldham.

[4] During a visit to Switzerland in September 2010, Nomis developed life-threatening blood clots in his left leg, which had to be amputated above the knee.