| He might have been called the bad boy of SA rugby by some, but all in all, James Small was very good for Springbok rugby. He was once the holder for the record of most Test tries by a Springbok - it was since surpassed by a few players - but that showed his value in the Bok setup. Tough as nails on the wing, Small did not stand back for anyone and was very difficult to stop when he was in full flight. He played a total of 60 matches (47 Tests) for South Africa - remarkable as it happened in the first six seasons since the country was readmitted to international sport. He was also a member of the RWC winning squad of 1995.
Position: Wing (44) Fullback (3)
Provinces: Golden Lions, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Province (1997)
Springbok number: 561
Test debut: 15 August 1992 vs New Zealand in Johannesburg aged 23
Last test: 6 December 1997 vs Scotland in Edinburgh aged 28
Total tests: 47
Tour matches: 13
Total Springbok matches: 60
Win ratio: 28-17-2
Honours: SA Rugby Player of the Year nominee (1993). |