Hall kicks rugby training up a notch
James Hall is focussed on sealing his place as the starting scrumhalf at Stade Francais, the French Top 14 club based in Paris.
AS a schoolboy playing scrumhalf for the Kearsney College 1st XV six years ago, video footage of James Hall’s 62-metre penalty kick on the Stott appeared on national and international websites, including YouTube, where it has been viewed more than 57 000 times.
His kick wasn’t too far off the longest penalty recorded in a test match of 64.2m, which was kicked by Wales’ Paul Thorburn during the 1986 Five Nationals Championship at Cardiff Arms Park; and led to many predicting a great rugby future for Hall.
This included Kearsney 1st XV coach Barend Steyn, who described Hall as a “brilliant team man, providing outstanding scrumhalf service, a strong defender, has a very good kicking game, with great all-round skills.”
Giving high praise of his former player, Steyn said Hall is “extremely committed to the sport and to conditioning, always putting in the extra time; and he’s remained a very humble person, even after his recent successes.”
Progress to 2020, the former Junior Springbok scrumhalf is focussed on sealing his place as the starting scrumhalf at Stade Francais, the French Top 14 club based in Paris, to which he’s currently contracted.
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During the middle of last year, his talent and enormous potential saw Stade Francais’ then coach, Heyneke Meyer, bring in Hall as the replacement for Piet van Zyl, who retired at the end of the European season.
At the time, Hall said, “I’m happy to join this great club and am excited to play here. I hope to produce my best rugby and win the Top 14.”
He signed with Stade Francais for two seasons, having previously played for second division French outfit Oyonnax from 2016, and prior to that the Sharks and Southern Kings.
Already showing talent in his young days, Hall earned provincial selection at primary school level, when he represented KwaZulu-Natal at the 2009 Under-13 Craven Week and went on to make a name for himself at schoolboy level. He played for Kearsney College and Craven Week in 2014.
He decided to play for Eastern Province after school and, in his first season there, helped the EP U19 side win the Provincial Championship for the first time in their history.
The 24-year-old has achieved many of his rugby goals since matriculating and it includes playing in the Currie Cup, the Super 18 and the IRB Junior World Championship. He admitted that is was not easy to get noticed.
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He was given the opportunity to represent his country for the first time in 2016, when he was called up to the SA U20 side to play in the World Rugby U20 Championships in Manchester.
Former Kings captain, Steven Sykes’ recommendation led to Hall being targeted by Oyonnax, who were in need of a scrumhalf as they focussed on promotion to the French Top 14. Hall said that adapting to life in France was a big challenge.
Before the Northern Hemisphere’s current rugby season was halted due to Covid-19, Hall had started the last three games as Stade look to rebuild their campaign.
In January, he played a crucial role in helping the Parisians claim an unexpected 30 – 18 victory over defending champions Toulouse, slotting a touchline conversion and going on a sniping run from behind a scrum, to set up a try.
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