Jason Little (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Jason Little was born 26 August 1970 in Toowoomba, Queensland
, Australia
. He won 75 caps
with one as captain playing at centre for the Australian rugby union side
between 1989 and 2000. He also won caps on the wing later in his career. He made his test debut at the age of 19 against France
4 November 1989 on the Australian tour to Europe that year and shortly afterwards, he and Tim Horan
were subjected to a mock ceremony where they pledged their futures to Rugby Union, promising not to defect to League. Both were to receive numerous offers from league clubs but turned them down.
In three quarters of his caps he partnered Horan, who was also his partner at Souths Rugby
in Brisbane
in the late 1980s and then for Queensland Reds
. His nickname was 'Sidney'.
Together he and Horan composed a fearsome centre partnership for Australia which came to the fore during the Rugby World Cup 1991
(won by Australia) and were widely regarded as the best centres in the world through the early 1990s, adding the Bledisloe Cup to their collection in 1992. Targeted by Will Carling
during the 1991 World Cup as a possible weak spot in the Australian defence, he was proved wrong as the youngster tackled everything thrown at him. In the Barbarians match at the end of the 1992 Autumn tour, he showed northern hemisphere audiences what Australian's fans already knew - that he could pierce a defence as well.
In the second test of the tour against South Africa in 1993, he threw an interception pass which allowed Joel Stransky
to run the length of the field and score under the posts. Australia had lost the first test and the Boks were well up on the score sheet as a result of this and he was later to remark that his immediate reaction was that his career was over. He did however score a try in each half of the game and the Wallabies
won the match and eventually the series.
By the end of the 1990s he was no longer an automatic choice for the test side and made many appearances as a replacement as Daniel Herbert
competed with him to partner Horan in the centres. He later moved south to New South Wales Waratahs
in 2000 to resurrect his international career, a move which kept him the test squad and earning him a place and a second winners medal at the Rugby World Cup 1999
.
His final cap was a victory against South Africa
on 26 August 2000 which was won 19-18 in dramatic style.
After retiring from International Rugby, he played briefly in England, firstly for Gloucester Rugby, then for a season as captain of West Country
rivals Bristol Rugby
, leading them to their first Twickenham appearance for 14 years, before retiring altogether from top-flight rugby.
Having retired, he undertook a course in Land Management at the Royal Agricultural College
, Cirencester
. He now lives on the North Shore, in Sydney with his wife Brigitte and three children.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He won 75 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
with one as captain playing at centre for the Australian rugby union side
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
between 1989 and 2000. He also won caps on the wing later in his career. He made his test debut at the age of 19 against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
4 November 1989 on the Australian tour to Europe that year and shortly afterwards, he and Tim Horan
Tim Horan
Tim Horan AM is a former Australian rugby union footballer. He played for the Queensland Reds in the Super 12, and represented Australia, he was one of the best centres in the world throughout the 1990s due to his attacking prowess, formidable defence and playmaking ability.As well as inside...
were subjected to a mock ceremony where they pledged their futures to Rugby Union, promising not to defect to League. Both were to receive numerous offers from league clubs but turned them down.
In three quarters of his caps he partnered Horan, who was also his partner at Souths Rugby
Souths Rugby
Souths are an Australian rugby union club, based in Brisbane, Queensland. They currently play in the Queensland Premier Rugby club competition...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in the late 1980s and then for Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
. His nickname was 'Sidney'.
Together he and Horan composed a fearsome centre partnership for Australia which came to the fore during the Rugby World Cup 1991
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
(won by Australia) and were widely regarded as the best centres in the world through the early 1990s, adding the Bledisloe Cup to their collection in 1992. Targeted by Will Carling
Will Carling
William David Charles Carling, OBE is a former Rugby union player for Harlequins, and a former captain of England from 1988 to 1996, winning 72 caps.-Early life:...
during the 1991 World Cup as a possible weak spot in the Australian defence, he was proved wrong as the youngster tackled everything thrown at him. In the Barbarians match at the end of the 1992 Autumn tour, he showed northern hemisphere audiences what Australian's fans already knew - that he could pierce a defence as well.
In the second test of the tour against South Africa in 1993, he threw an interception pass which allowed Joel Stransky
Joel Stransky
Joel Theodore Stransky is a former South African rugby union rugby player, most notable for scoring all of South Africa's points, including the famous dramatic winning drop goal, against New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. He played as a fly-half.-Early life:Stransky was born in...
to run the length of the field and score under the posts. Australia had lost the first test and the Boks were well up on the score sheet as a result of this and he was later to remark that his immediate reaction was that his career was over. He did however score a try in each half of the game and the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
won the match and eventually the series.
By the end of the 1990s he was no longer an automatic choice for the test side and made many appearances as a replacement as Daniel Herbert
Daniel Herbert
Daniel Herbert was born 6 February 1974 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He won 67 caps playing at centre for the Australian rugby union side since 1994. He made his test debut at the age of 20 against Ireland on 11 June 1994. He battled Jason Little for a state and test spot alongside Tim...
competed with him to partner Horan in the centres. He later moved south to New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
in 2000 to resurrect his international career, a move which kept him the test squad and earning him a place and a second winners medal at the Rugby World Cup 1999
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
.
His final cap was a victory against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
on 26 August 2000 which was won 19-18 in dramatic style.
After retiring from International Rugby, he played briefly in England, firstly for Gloucester Rugby, then for a season as captain of West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
rivals Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
, leading them to their first Twickenham appearance for 14 years, before retiring altogether from top-flight rugby.
Having retired, he undertook a course in Land Management at the Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural College
The Royal Agricultural College is a higher education institution located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English speaking world...
, Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
. He now lives on the North Shore, in Sydney with his wife Brigitte and three children.