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.