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	(1996-01-02) 2 January 1996 (age 27)
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. . South African Rugby Union. 25 October 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
12. . 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. . South African Rugby Union. 24 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
18. . South African Rugby Union. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
19. . 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. (Press release) (in French). Oyonnax Rugby. 9 June 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.