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James
Small

James Small was a fiercely competitive South African winger who won the Rugby World Cup in 1995. Discover more about his career with RugbyPass, your resident rugby gurus.

James Small Bio

James Small was one of the finest South African players of his generation. A prolific try scorer and a warrior on the field, he was loved by fans and teammates alike. Sadly, he died of a heart attack in 2019 at the age of 50.

Born 10 February 1969, James Small was a talented athlete at a young age and he obtained Transvaal Colours for athletics, competing in the 100m and 400m. However, believing that rugby was more ‘fun’, he pursued a career in rugby union instead.

At the tender age of 18, James Small made his debut for Transvaal. He stayed with the side until 1993, but ultimately followed coach Harry Viljoen to Natal. Throughout his glittering domestic career, he also represented the Western Province and the Golden Cats. Due to his impressive performances for these sides, he also played for the Stormers and the Cats in Super Rugby until his retirement in 1999.

Although James Small enjoyed a glittering domestic and provincial career, he’s most famous for his appearances for South Africa. Between 1992 and 1997, he was capped 47 times by his country and scored a whopping 20 tries.

The highlight of James Small’s rugby-playing career came in 1995, when he was a member of the Springboks side that won the Rugby World Cup on home soil. However, he was considered the ‘bad boy’ of the South African team and was known for dishing out verbal abuse to opponents.

Following his retirement, James Small worked as a model and had a number of business interests. On top of this, he stayed connected to the game. He was involved in coaching and commentating and even had a successful podcast.

Sadly, James Small died of a heart attack in 2019 after drinking at a bar. He was survived by his son, daughter, sister and mother. 

Fixtures & Results

Sat Aug 8, 2026
3:05am PDT
Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Japan Japan
-
3:05am
Australia Australia
LIVE
0
0
12:00pm PDT
Estadio José Amalfitani
Argentina Argentina
-
12:00pm
South Africa South Africa
LIVE
0
0
Fri Aug 14, 2026
10:15pm PDT
Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Australia Australia
-
10:15pm
Japan Japan
LIVE
0
0
Sat Aug 22, 2026
8:00am PDT
Ellis Park
South Africa South Africa
-
8:00am
New Zealand New Zealand
LIVE
0
0
Sat Aug 29, 2026
8:00am PDT
DHL Stadium
South Africa South Africa
-
8:00am
New Zealand New Zealand
LIVE
0
0
12:00pm PDT
Estadio 23 de Agosto
Argentina Argentina
-
12:00pm
Australia Australia
LIVE
0
0
Fri Sep 4, 2026
10:50pm PDT
Denka Big Swan Stadium
Japan Japan
-
10:50pm
Canada Canada
LIVE
0
0
Sat Sep 5, 2026
8:00am PDT
FNB Stadium
South Africa South Africa
-
8:00am
New Zealand New Zealand
LIVE
0
0
12:00pm PDT
Estadio Malvinas Argentinas
Argentina Argentina
-
12:00pm
Australia Australia
LIVE
0
0
Sat Sep 12, 2026
8:05am PDT
M&T Bank Stadium
South Africa South Africa
-
8:05am
New Zealand New Zealand
LIVE
0
0
Sun Sep 27, 2026
2:45am PDT
Optus Stadium
Australia Australia
-
2:45am
South Africa South Africa
LIVE
0
0
Fri Oct 9, 2026
11:10pm PDT
Eden Park
New Zealand New Zealand
-
11:10pm
Australia Australia
LIVE
0
0
Fri Oct 16, 2026
10:00pm PDT
Accor Stadium
Australia Australia
-
10:00pm
New Zealand New Zealand
LIVE
0
0
Fri Apr 10, 2026
10:00am PDT
Stadion Park Mladeži
Croatia Croatia
-
10:00am
Mexico Mexico
LIVE
0
0
Fri Apr 3, 2026
FT
Marketa Stadium
Czech Republic Czech Republic
-
5:00am
Mexico Mexico
LIVE
54
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