Dean Hall – Career Highlights

Dean Hall could have been one of the greatest Springbok wings ever. He played the majority of his career for the Lions in the Currie Cup and the Cats in Super Rugby. Later in his career he moved to Durban and played for the Sharks. He was also capped thirteen times for the Springboks and scored four test tries. His career was hampered with injury and he never reached his full potential. He was quite large for a wing, but in the wake of Jonah Lomu’s sensation at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, it was hoped that Dean Hall would become the Springbok’s massive wing.

In 1997 while still eligible for age-group rugby, Hall was selected in the Golden Lions senior squad for the Currie Cup. He was not selected in the senior team in 1998, but continued to play for the Golden Lions U/21 team.

Hall started playing Currie Cup rugby in 1999 and became a regular starter for the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup as well as the Vodacom Cup. In 2000 he was selected for the Cat’s Super Rugby squad. He went on to play 26 Super Rugby games for the Cats. He scored 20 tries for the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup season, which is fifth on the list of most tries scored in a season by a Lions player. In 1999, while Hall was part of the Golden Lions’ team, they won the Currie Cup. Hall came on as a replacement during the final, which the Lions won 32-9 against the Sharks in Durban.

In 2001 Hall was selected for the Springboks, ahead of veteran winger Pieter Rossouw. Jake White who was the Springboks’ assistant coach at the time mentioned that Hall selection was to increase the skill level of the team in general and was viewed as a powerful statement of intent of Bok coach Harry Viljoen’s plan to utilize the full width of the pitch in his game plan. On 16 June 2001, Hall made his test debut against France at his home ground, Ellis Park in Johannesburg. The Springboks lost the game 23-32. Hall was again in the team the following week at Kings Park in Durban when the Springboks changed it around and ran out winners, 20-15.

Hall played in all South Africa’s Tri Nations games of 2001 Tri Nations Series, but failed to score a try. He was also selected for the Springboks’ end of year tour to France, Italy, England and the USA. Hall scored his first test try in a 54-26 victory over Italy at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in Genoa on 17 November 2001. His other try of the tour came against the USA at the Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas.

From 2002 to 2003 Hall continued to play Currie Cup rugby for the Golden Lions and Super Rugby for the Cats. Hall fell out of favour with the Springbok coaches in early 2002 and Breyton Paulse was preferred at left wing with Stefan Terblanche at right wing in the mid-year tests against Wales and Argentina. He was selected to play in the South Africa A team which faced Argentina on 26 June 2002 in Witbank. A game South Africa A won 42-36, thanks to two tries scored by Hall. One of these tries came three minutes after the final hooter, to deny the Argentinians victory. Argentina led 36-35 before Hall’s try. Paulse, coming back from injury, struggled with his form in the tests against Wales and Argentina and was replaced by Hall for the test against Samoa at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 6 July 2002. Hall scored 2 tries in a 60-18 victory for the Springboks. He also played in the first Tri Nations game of the season, against the All Blacks at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. South Africa lost this game 41-20 with Hall picking up an injury. He was replaced by Paulse the following game against Australia in Brisbane. Hall played both games during the home leg of the tournament against Australia and New Zealand. The game against Australia on 17 August 2002 at Ellis Park turned out to be his last game in a Springbok jersey. Although he was part of the Golden Lions’ Currie Cup squad during 2002, he was injured before the Currie Cup semi final and subsequently did not go on tour with the Springboks for their 2002 end of year tour.

In 2003 he was recovering from a serious knee injury. He formed part of the Cats’ Super Rugby squad, but injuries kept him on the sidelines for the majority of his remaining career. He never fully recovered from this serious knee injury and was never again selected for the Springboks. According to one doctor who examined him in 2002, his knee cartilage had turned into that of a pensioners.

In a bid to revive his career, Hall moved to the Sharks. He was included in the Sharks’ Super Rugby squad for 2005, but failed to make the team for any Super Rugby match. In 2006 he played Vodacom Cup rugby for the Natal Wildebeest and was part of the Currie Cup squad. In total he played seven games for the Durban-based team, including a Sharks Invitational XV who faced the Western Force in Pietermaritzburg in June 2006 in preparation for the Currie Cup.

At the start of the 2006/2007 Japanese season, Hall joined the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan. Hall went on to earn 12 caps for Ricoh during the season.

L hold hold keep it up here hold hold flank shoulder yeah can only sou Africa Jon well this is the first of Jean Hall’s three tries I thought that there was a little bit of obstructive running there but still the South Africans moving it wide very well indeed and I

Must say the last three tries that we saw we’ll see Dean Hall’s second one taken by buloy at the front Davidson matfield sby runs into major defense but the ball comes back quickly f with the show of the ball lovely angled run Dean Hall is going to

Score his second try and that’s the best moment of the entire match that’s not in touch Forest takes it in the middle of the park now looking for somebody who wants the ball it’s Manana that’s brilliant from Manana well should built up ahead of steam Julie

Gets it away to Hall Hall’s looking for a hattick and he’s got it well what a marvelous hattick that is from Dean Hall and all started from 20 M from his own line is got actually just see what what’s going on here Henny laroo eser haisen

Yankees Moran has he got the pace up against passons bounces him off first time good cover by Gavin passons Bartle winter Dean Hall Power Man the deall it’s little sad we don’t see more of him pick up and drive by bosov alock to K down the line they go

Villy Mayer will straighten the line on the inside was Eugene Mayer he didn’t get it alock will change the angle of attack again this is Grant Esther haisen they’re 10 m out alock Dean Hall standing start trying to throw a couple of moves and he’s away bouncing off one

Man Dean Hall gets an amazing try number three for the cats W what a TR Dean Hall skne in the jump in fact he go back goes back to support Russell winter swano Kun Bobo brilliant angle from Bobo he came from depth and unfortunately couldn’t get the pass away well we

Called it the forward pass the referee says play on bean Hall has got his first try since the super 12 you say give them space I still think that was a forward pass but and I think the pumers thought so as well but you don’t stop until the whistle goes

This time it’s matfield clean ball for nesten Kun Andre F quick ball again as C feeds festes and Dean Halls missed it the ball went backwards says the referee forest and does the cleaning up pulser in there at scrum half to cun now it’s AJ fenter

Strong run from fenta and Janes did well under pressure as well just 10 meters out now the spring box festes and with the long pass to K Kun with another one as well and that’s a chance for skinat to get away Dean Hall Dean Hall gets his first test

Try from matfield for the could oh Dean Hall clean through Dean Hall gets his try it’s his second try for the spring B taking the SC winter with the pickup good defense from the Chiefs cats have got to get this going forward again or they’ll lose

It and here they go they’ve managed to smuggle it away just a couple of meters out now Bartle goes out wide to pretorius pretorius with the long Miss pass to yni Muller yni Müller over the top to Dean Hall Dean Hall gets the try on not out yet out now well worked out

By one one of the four is Dreadful ball for far potilo now chance for South Africa if they produce B fak Victorious wide for Pula oh the little man nearly Dean H is there good try de it’s a power try he’s been waiting for the ball the F the

Whole first half got it once s come off that’s interesting skin definitely went off for Sai but maybe it was whilst the play was held up naar gets it out there to SEI Al nice little grber by him now R st blanch rather for Pulsa good stepping by the Winger playing fullback now

Conradi to blash victim matfield layes it back now chance here with paa getting involved fik skins that to PR will Del L it off for Dean hole try number two for the bigwing out again Del since he’s been on the field he’s been a live wire good pickup

Heard the call from Dean Hall great to him he goes over for his second held up by bkin stat play on and Jones Dalton’s done well he read that perfectly deck little bit of space and here comes Dean Hall down he goes throw the clear from the inside he thought about the

Fear for the beautiful pickup the is going to get his first test try spring box and they’ve been working to get in line up a little bit of difficulty the Falcons really with these malls things not easy for them and the lines have undone their good work by little

Transgressions but that’s better quick ball for them that’s what they wanted Esther haen now Dean Hall with a Chance powering his way two tackles three he’s through and he’s going to get the third try for the Lions well 100 kg deall big strong man who’s the target depri to the front

Willam stals is on the field of course he’s the tallest man right now rangy player played for the Northwest Victorious a little now jao Boon inside to Dean Hall good control well set up that byall opens up the space for the big men Pitman fik Russell winter has had an excellent

Game for the Lions as well nine Hall quick stepping straight through no one’s going to stop him number two for the big man well you saw that his team was attacking over right he came to add on the numbers on the attack he came at