Former Springbok wing James Small has died aged 50, reportedly due to a heart attack.
His family confirmed the news to Netwerk24.
He is the third member of the 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning side to pass away, and was one of the few men to have been able to stand up to New Zealand’s Jonah Lomu, who has also passed on.
eNCA understands the star passed away earlier on Wednesday, while en route to visit his daughter.
His international debut was against the All Blacks in 1992 and he made his final appearance against Scotland in 1997. In that final test match, he scored his 20th try, becoming the leading Springbok try scorer at the time, eclipsing Danie Gerber’s record. He was also the leading try scorer in the 1996 Super 12 season.
He was born in Cape Town and attended Risidale Primary School and Greenside High School in Johannesburg.
The star was known as the “bad boy” of SA rugby, and became the first-ever Springbok to be sent off in a match due to his dissent towards a referee.
He became a business owner after his career, famously becoming the owner of Café Caprice in Cape Town.
The Citizen
