James Dalton
Full names: James
Date of birth: 16 Aug 1972
Place of birth: Johannesburg
School: Jeppe
Springbok no: 614
Debut test province: Lions
Physical: 1.77m, 95.2kg
Current age: 51

Test summary: Tests: 43 Tries: 5
First Test: 8 Oct 1994 Age:22 Reserve against Argentina at Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth
Last Test: 23 Nov 2002 Age:30 Hooker against England at Twickenham, London
Test history:
DateAgePositionOpponentResultScoreVenueProv
08 Oct 199422ReserveArgentinaWin: 42-22 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethLions
25 May 199522HookerAustraliaWin: 27-18 Newlands, Cape TownLions
03 Jun 199522HookerCanadaWin: 20-0 Boet Erasmus, Port ElizabethLions
02 Sep 199523HookerWalesWin: 40-11 Ellispark, JohannesburgLions
12 Nov 199523HookerItalyWin: 40-21 Olympic Stadium, RomeLions
18 Nov 199523HookerEnglandWin: 24-14 Twickenham, LondonLions
24 Aug 199624ReserveNew ZealandLose: 26-33 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaLions
31 Aug 199624HookerNew ZealandWin: 32-22 Ellispark, JohannesburgLions
09 Nov 199624HookerArgentinaWin: 46-15 Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresLions
16 Nov 199624HookerArgentinaWin: 44-21 Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos AiresLions
30 Nov 199624HookerFranceWin: 22-12 Stade Municipal, BordeauxLions
07 Dec 199624HookerFranceWin: 13-121 tryParc des Princes, ParisLions
15 Dec 199624HookerWalesWin: 37-20 Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), CardiffLions
10 Jun 199724ReserveTongaWin: 74-10 Newlands, Cape TownLions
05 Jul 199724HookerBritainWin: 35-16 Ellispark, JohannesburgLions
09 Aug 199724HookerNew ZealandLose: 35-55 Eden Park, AucklandLions
23 Aug 199725HookerAustraliaWin: 61-221 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaLions
08 Nov 199725HookerItalyWin: 62-31 Dall'Ara Stadium, BolognaLions
15 Nov 199725HookerFranceWin: 36-321 tryStade de Gerland, LyonLions
22 Nov 199725HookerFranceWin: 52-10 Parc des Princes, ParisLions
29 Nov 199725HookerEnglandWin: 29-11 Twickenham, LondonLions
06 Dec 199725HookerScotlandWin: 68-10 Murrayfield, EdinburghLions
13 Jun 199825HookerIrelandWin: 37-13 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinLions
20 Jun 199825HookerIrelandWin: 33-01 tryLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaLions
27 Jun 199825HookerWalesWin: 96-13 Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaLions
04 Jul 199825HookerEnglandWin: 18-0 Newlands, Cape TownLions
18 Jul 199825HookerAustraliaWin: 14-13 Subiaco Oval, PerthLions
25 Jul 199825HookerNew ZealandWin: 13-3 Athletic Park, WellingtonLions
15 Aug 199825HookerNew ZealandWin: 24-231 tryKingspark, DurbanLions
22 Aug 199826HookerAustraliaWin: 29-15 Ellispark, JohannesburgLions
14 Nov 199826HookerWalesWin: 28-20 Wembley, LondonLions
21 Nov 199826HookerScotlandWin: 35-10 Murrayfield, EdinburghLions
28 Nov 199826HookerIrelandWin: 27-13 Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road), DublinLions
05 Dec 199826HookerEnglandLose: 7-13 Twickenham, LondonLions
08 Jun 200229HookerWalesWin: 34-19 Free State Stadium, BloemfonteinFalcons
15 Jun 200229HookerWalesWin: 19-8 Newlands, Cape TownFalcons
29 Jun 200229HookerArgentinaWin: 49-29 P.A.M. Brink Stadium, SpringsFalcons
20 Jul 200229HookerNew ZealandLose: 20-41 WestPac Stadium, WellingtonFalcons
27 Jul 200229HookerAustraliaLose: 27-38 Wooloongabba, BrisbaneFalcons
10 Aug 200229HookerNew ZealandLose: 23-30 Kingspark, DurbanFalcons
17 Aug 200230HookerAustraliaWin: 33-31 Ellispark, JohannesburgFalcons
09 Nov 200230HookerFranceLose: 10-30 Stade Velodrome, MarseillesFalcons
23 Nov 200230HookerEnglandLose: 3-53 Twickenham, LondonFalcons

Top 50 Boks: 39 – James Dalton : SARugby.com

James “Bullet” Dalton is one of the great characters of South African rugby. The 1.77m, 95kg hooker showed that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog – and Dalton sure loved physical confrontation.

Bullet” made his Springbok debut off the bench against Argentina in Port Elizabeth on October 8, 1994. His second Test was the classic 1995 World Cup opener against Australia. Sadly, his participation in the World Cup was cut short in the following match against Canada.

Referred to as the Battle of Boet Erasmus, Dalton, as well as Gareth Rees and Rod Snow, received red cards for their parts in the mass punch-up. Both Dalton and Pieter Hendriks were banned for the remainder of the tournament after the match.

Dalton put the disappointment behind him and went on to earn a total of 43 Tests and was a key member of Nick Mallett’s world record equalling Boks of 1997/98. He scored one of the most memorable tries in Springbok history when he was helped over the line against France in Lyon in 1997 and scored the match-winning try against the All Blacks in Durban in 1998.

In a first-class career spanning more than a decade, Dalton played 76 matches for the Lions, eight for the Cats, 16 for the Bulls and 18 for the Falcons. He also represented SA Schools and in 1994 played for the Junior Springboks, SA Barbarians and South Africa A.

Records/Honours:

  • Member of the World Cup winning Springbok squad, 1995
  • Member of the Lions Currie Cup winning squad, 1999