James Hall (rugby union, born 1996)

James Robert Hall (born 2 January 1996 in Durban, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for Stade Français in the French Top 14.[1] His regular position is scrum-half.

James Hall

Full name	James Robert Hall
Date of birth	2 January 1996
Place of birth	Durban, South Africa
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	88 kg (194 lb; 13 st 12 lb)
School	Kearsney College, Botha's Hill
Occupation(s)	professional rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half Current team Stade Français Youth career 2009–2014 Sharks 2014–2015 Eastern Province Kings 2016 Oyonnax Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016 Southern Kings 7 (10) 2016–2019 Oyonnax 61 (52) 2019–present Stade Français 13 (5) Correct as of 3 August 2019 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2016 South Africa Under-20 5 (0) Correct as of 27 June 2016

Playing career

Youth

Hall earned provincial selection as early as primary school level, when he represented KwaZulu-Natal at the 2009 Under-13 Craven Week held in Kimberley. He was the main kicker for the side and kicked five penalties during the competition, including three in their match against the Golden Lions.[2]

At high school level, Hall attended Kearsney College, where he played rugby for their first team. He kicked a 62-meter penalty in a high school match against Westville Boys' High School in March 2014, with video footage of the kick appearing on several websites, both nationally[3] and internationally.[4] He earned a provincial call-up for the 2014 Under-18 Craven Week competition held in Middelburg, scoring one try for KwaZulu-Natal in their match against the Blue Bulls.[5] He signed a contract to join Port Elizabeth-based union the Eastern Province Kings after school, and made a single appearance for their Under-19 side during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, in a 21–24 defeat to his hometown side the Sharks U19s in Durban.[6]

He joined the EP Kings on a full-time basis for the 2015 season and he was a key member of the Eastern Province U19 side in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A, starting all fourteen of their matches in the competition. He scored one try during the season – in a 33–14 victory over the Leopards U19s[7] – and also kicked nine conversions and seven penalties during the season for a personal points haul of 44 points, the second-highest in the team and joint-twelfth overall.[8] He helped the Eastern Province Kings Under-19 side to eleven wins in their twelve matches in the group stage of the competition to finish top of the log to secure a place in the title play-offs. He started in their semi-final match against the Free State U19s, helping them to a 31–15 victory,[9] and also in the final, where his side ran out 25–23 winners over the Blue Bulls U19s in Johannesburg[10] to win the competition for the first time in their history.[11]

Kings

On 13 December 2015, Hall was included on a list of 20 players released by the South African Rugby Union that would be part of the Southern Kings squad for the 2016 Super Rugby season.[12] He made his first class and Super Rugby debut in the Kings' match against the Bulls in Round Seven of the competition, starting in a 6–38 defeat in Port Elizabeth.[13] He also started in a match against the Lions[14] and played off the bench in their 27–73 defeat to Argentine side the Jaguares.[15] He made his fourth appearance and third start at home to New Zealand side the Blues in a match that saw him score his first try in first class rugby, scoring against the base of the posts in the 14th minute of an 18–34 loss.[16]

South Africa Under-20

In March 2016, Hall was included in a South Africa Under-20 training squad,[17] and made the cut to be named in a reduced provisional squad a week later.[18] On 10 May 2016, he was included in the final squad for the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship tournament to be held in Manchester, England.[19] He started their opening match in Pool C of the tournament as South Africa came from behind to beat Japan 59–19,[20] and their next pool match as South Africa were beaten 13–19 by Argentina.[21] He played off the bench as South Africa bounced back to secure a 40-31 bonus-point victory over France in their final pool match[22] to secure a semi-final place as the best runner-up in the competition. He was also used as a replacement in both play-off matches, as South Africa faced three-time champions England in the semi-finals – with the hosts proving too strong for South Africa, knocking them out of the competition with a 39–17 victory[23] – and against Argentina in the third-place play-off final. Argentina beat South Africa – as they did in the pool stages – convincingly winning 49–19[24] and in the process condemning South Africa to fourth place in the competition.

Oyonnax

In 2016, French Rugby Pro D2 side Oyonnax announced the signing of Hall on a three-year contract.[25]

Stade Français

Hall joined Stade Français on a two-yeal deal prior to the 2019–20 season.

References

1. "SA Rugby Player Profile – James Hall". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
2. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Lions 14-21 KZN". South African Rugby Union. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
3. "VIDEO: Kearsney scrumhalf James Hall slots a 62m penalty against Westville". SA Rugby Mag. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
4. "Video: Huge James Hall 62m Penalty Kick For Kearsney College". Balls.ie. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – KwaZulu-Natal 15-36 Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sharks U19 24-21 EP Kings U19". South African Rugby Union. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province U19 33-14 Leopards U19". South African Rugby Union. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
8. "SA Rugby Top Scorers – 2015 Absa Under 19 Competition". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province U19 31-15 Free State U19". South African Rugby Union. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province U19 25-23 Blue Bulls U19". South African Rugby Union. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
11. "WP young guns, EP clinch junior titles". South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
12. "Southern Kings announce first signings". South African Rugby Union. 13 December 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
13. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Southern Kings 6-38 Vodacom Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 9 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
14. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Southern Kings 10-45 Emirates Lions". South African Rugby Union. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
15. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Jaguares 73-27 Southern Kings". South African Rugby Union. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
16. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Southern Kings 18-34 Blues". South African Rugby Union. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
17. "Large group invited to Junior Springbok trials camp". South African Rugby Union. 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
18. "Theron names provisional Junior Springbok squad". South African Rugby Union. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
19. "Ward to lead Junior Springboks in England". South African Rugby Union. 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
20. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 59-19 Japan U20". South African Rugby Union. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
21. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 13-19 Argentina U20". South African Rugby Union. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
22. "SA Rugby Match Centre – South Africa U20 40-31 France U20". South African Rugby Union. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
23. "SA Rugby Match Centre – England U20 39-17 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
24. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Argentina U20 49-19 South Africa U20". South African Rugby Union. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
25. "Deux nouvelles recrues et deux prolongations pour l'US Oyonnax Rugby" (Press release) (in French). Oyonnax Rugby. 9 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.