The 1995 World Cup-winning Springboks will forever be immortalised in South African sporting, and cultural, history.
Perhaps that is part of why South Africans were so saddened to hear about his passing, with tributes pouring in from right around the world.
Of course, Small’s name will always be intricately linked with that of Jonah Lomu, who has also since passed on, with the duo doing battle on the turf at Ellis Park.
There was only one winner that day, but when Lomu visited South Africa back in 2015, the respect between the two wingers was there for all to see:
“We use to say that silence is our applause.” James Small. pic.twitter.com/nCqj4Zm9FC
— Benoit Pensivy (@pensivy) July 10, 2019
You can see more from that documentary here, but let’s move on to an interview with Small last year.
As host John Robbie will tell you, it was unlike any other interview that formed part of ‘The Sport Exchange with John Robbie’ series.
Here’s a little write-up via the Sports Exchange site:
In the most candid interview we’ve had to date, John chats to Springbok Rugby legend, James Small. From World Cup wins to the challenges that come with being a star, we uncover some fascinating stories.
During the interview, James offered business advice, and spoke about wanting to mentor younger athletes, as he didn’t want them to experience the pain that he did.
His candidness is a great illustration of the real struggles our sporting heroes face when the limelight fades.
If you’re wanting to better understand the man who was often dubbed ‘South Africa’s bad boy of rugby’, this is essential listening:
If YouTube better suits you, see below:
[source:sportsexchange]
