On the eve of the 30-year anniversary of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, we celebrate and fondly remember the impact of five Springboks from that iconic occasion who have sadly passed away.
James Small, Joost van der Westhuizen, Chester Williams, Ruben Kruger and Hannes Strydom were hugely popular public figures and each of their deaths at relatively young ages understandably rocked South African rugby.
Of course, the first member of the tightly-knit squad to pass away was in fact coach Kitch Christie, who succumbed to leukemia in Pretoria in 1998. He was 58.
In the first part of this remembrance series, we look back at the career and impact of James Small.
Springbok legends: Gone but never forgotten
James Small
Small made his debut for the Springboks against New Zealand in Johannesburg in 1992 and played in 47 Tests until 1997. He scored 20 Test tries, with the last of those in his final match in the Green and Gold, against Scotland – a try which, at that stage, broke Danie Gerber’s Test record.
However, it was his heroics on defence that are just as much a part of his legacy, with Small’s marking of All Blacks great Jonah Lomu in the 1995 World Cup final going a long way to helping the Springboks to victory.
In total, Small donned the Green and Gold 60 times, scoring 27 tries. He played Tests against New Zealand, Australia, Western Samoa, Fiji, France, Italy, Romania, England, Scotland, Argentina and the British & Irish Lions.
In his provincial, Small played for the Golden Lions (then Transvaal), Sharks (then Natal) and Western Province, appearing in Currie Cup finals for all three sides and lifting the coveted golden cup in the colours of the Sharks and WP, but never with the Golden Lions.
Small played 71 matches, scoring 43 tries, for the Golden Lions and the Cats from 1988 to 1992 and again in 1998 and 1999. He was with the Sharks from 1993 to 1996 and played in 67 matches, scoring 48 tries (provincial and Vodacom Super Rugby), and he spent 1997 and the first part of 1998 with Western Province and the DHL Stormers, whom he represented 25 times, scoring 18 tries.
Before his sudden death from a heart attack in 2019, the 50-year-old had turned to coaching, and assisted Robert du Preez at NWU-Pukke and the Leopards before joining Pirates Rugby Club in Johannesburg as assistant coach.
Small had enjoyed some success in the hospitality industry, with ownership in a popular eatery and night spot Cafe Caprice in Camps Bay in Cape Town. He also had business interests in ADreach, a company specialising in street pole advertising in South Africa.
A special player and a unique character, Small is undoubtedly one of the true legends of Springbok rugby.
*Keep an eye on TheSouthAfrican as the five remaining articles in this remembrance content series will be published over the next few days
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