Fiery Springbok hooker James Dalton announced his retirement from all rugby at an emotion-charged press conference in Randburg, Johannesburg on Tuesday.
A tearful Dalton who played 43 Tests and 58 matches for the Springboks said his retirement was effective immediately. Dalton was left out of the Cats touring squad — which was announced on Tuesday — for the Australasian leg of their Super 12
campaign.
”Being dropped put everything in perspective,” said an emotional Dalton. ”This was coming for a while and I have no real reason just that the time is right for me to go,” he said.
Dalton was first dropped from the Cats team for disciplinary reasons — he missed a team video session — a fortnight ago.
”I have just outgrown it and I thought it is time to move on. I felt like somebody had just switched the lights off and it is time for me to move on,” said Dalton, who has courted more than his fair share of controversy since making his provincial debut in 1992.
The hooker said he felt he was letting his team-mates down and could no longer play to his potential.
”I am not going to consider any offers from overseas, but might consider a career in coaching at some stage,” said Dalton, who married in December last year.
In a first-class career spanning more than a decade, the front rower played 76 matches for the Lions, eight for the Cats, 16 for the Super 12 Bulls and 18 for the Falcons.
”My biggest highlight was my Springbok debut against Argentina in 1994,” he said. Dalton, however, is probably better known for his role in the infamous ”Battle of Boet Erasmus” during the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
South Africa beat Canada in Port Leizabeth that night, but Dalton’s red card came back to haunt the Boks in Durban, when torrential thunderstorms threatened to end the semi-final clash with France before the first whistle and thus South Africa’s hopes of winning the coveted William Webb Ellis trophy.
Had the match not taken place then Dalton’s sending off would have ruled the Springboks out of further participation in the tournament on a technicality.
Dalton, however, bounced back to become an integral part of the world record-equalling Springboks of 1997 and 1998 under Nic Mallett and Gary Teichmann.
A hard working and mobile hooker, Dalton was a late call-up to the Bulls squad for 2002 after some impressive showings as captain of the Falcons during the 2001 Currie Cup.
A member of the Springboks’ World Cup winning squad of 1995, he was nicknamed ”Bullet” by former Bok coach Kitch Christie. A graduate of Jeppe Boys High School in Johannesburg, Dalton represented SA Schools and in 1994 played for the Junior Springboks, SA Barbarians and SA A. – Sapa