Proteas must be green with envy, as multi-talented Riley Norton shines for Baby Boks
Image: World Rugby
Cricket SA (CSA) and the SA Rugby Union (SARU) may have a battle on their hands, and that will be persuading phenomenal talent Riley Norton to choose either cricket or rugby.
Norton skippered the SA Under-20 rugby team as the side won the 2025 World Rugby Under-20 Championship over the weekend.
It was not the first taste of international success for the young lock, as he was also part of the SA Under-19 Cricket World Cup last year, which made it to the semi-finals of the tournament.
On the cricket field, Norton is a fast-bowling all-rounder and excelled at the 2025 Under-19 Cricket World Cup with 11 wickets and a batting average of 50 coming in down the order.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
Norton's Journey: From Cricket to Rugby Glory
Since then, though, it seems Norton has focussed solely on rugby as he hasn't played any competitive cricket since that World Cup.
Norton is just the third South African to earn SA Schools colours in both cricket and rugby and the 15th overall.
After winning the World Rugby Under-20 Championship, Norton said: 'I'm quite emotional,' he said. 'The amount of work we put in after a tough Rugby Championship, I'm just so proud of the players and the coaching staff. I just can't put it into words. This has been the greatest month of my life.'
Norton Praises Team Efforts and Embraces Rugby Passion
As a member of the forwards, Norton praised the efforts of his team.
'That's where South Africans get our energy from, our DNA – the scrums, the mauls, the tackles – and Vusi Moyo was so good with the boot.
'We never felt pressure. A bit of nerves, but that's a good thing. We couldn't have done it without our fans cheering us on back home. I'm so proud to be South African. This is why we play the game, for moments and days like this.'
It seems then that CSA may have already lost Norton's talents to rugby, and their loss will certainly be the Springboks' gain.
@Michael_Sherman
IOL Sport
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Rudy Paige: Haashim Pead will be a Springbok . . . sooner rather than later
Scrumhalf Haashim Pead, who starred for the Junior Boks at the World Rugby U20 Championship, is currently training with the Springboks. Image: Maurilio Boldrini / World Rugby Former Springboks scrumhalf Rudy Paige says Junior Springboks star Haashim Pead has all the attributes to become a star for the Springboks following his incredible performances at the World Rugby Under-20 World Championships. Pead won the Player of the Tournament award after the Junior Boks beat their New Zealand counterparts in the final to lift the trophy for the first time since 2012. The speedy No 9 scored six tries and assisted four during the tournament. He also surpassed France star Antoine Dupont's record for running metres by a scrumhalf at the tournament, racking up 232m from 15 carries during the pool stages. 'When I met him, I really liked how he sees the game and his hunger to evolve as a player and go to bigger heights,' Paige said, during an event hosted by Generation Schools in Cape Town on Wednesday. 'On the field, he ticks all the boxes. His fundamentals are really good and he has got the pace. But he also has the instincts and his feel for the game is superb. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'We must celebrate him and what he has achieved in his short career and what the team achieved. He has got a really bright future ahead of him.' Pead is currently in camp with the Springboks ahead of their home Rugby Championship matches against Australia. He and fellow Junior Boks, flank Bathobele Hlekani and outside centre Cheswill Jooste, were invited to see first hand how the Boks prepare for a big tournament. Paige, who played 13 Test matches for the Springboks and played in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, says Pead's involvement in the Bok camp is massive for his development, as he will be able to see first-hand what it takes to play for the Springboks. 'I always say you learn a lot through the ears and the eyes. He is going to learn a lot from people like Grant Williams and Cobus Reinach, what they do on a day-to-day basis, what they do post training, their habits and what type of questions they ask in team meetings,' the former Bulls scrumhalf said. 'I think being there is going to put him and the others ahead of their peers. It's going to be three amazing weeks for them with the Boks. 'He still has a lot to learn and needs to play in big competitions such as the United Rugby Championship to develop his game even more. But we are going to see Haashim Pead in a Springbok jersey sooner rather than later. He has all the capabilities to make it.' Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus just week said Pead and other two Junior Boks have fitted in nicely. While he doesn't foresee them playing any Test matches this year, the Bok mentor is hoping that the exposure will give them the desire and hunger to improve their game and push for a senior call-up. 'The coaches will be involved in the team until 2027, so it's important for us to continue developing our depth and ensuring that we have at least three players to pick from in each position,' Erasmus said. 'We don't see the Young Guns playing Test matches this year, but exposing them to this environment and allowing them to participate in all our boardroom and field sessions is great for them to learn. 'They've fitted in well and they appear to be enjoying it, while it's also good for the more experienced players to see the talent that is coming through the ranks.' The Springboks start their Rugby Championship campaign against the Wallabies at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on August 16. The Boks and Aussies will then travel to Cape Town for their second match a week later on August 23.
The South African
7 hours ago
- The South African
TS Galaxy snap up another Kaizer Chiefs youth product!
TS Galaxy FC have struck again by signing another Kaizer Chiefs youth product as the 2025-26 season is about to kick off. On Wednesday, The Rockets announced eight new signings that are expected to bolster their squad in different departments. And headlining the list was none other Ntandoyenkosi Nkosi who captained the Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) team. Nkosi would have hoped to be given a chance in the Amakhosi senior team but that did not happen, and TS Galaxy pounced. He reunites with his former teammate at Chiefs, Puso Dithejane, who left the Soweto giants for TS Galaxy last season. The other seven players are Veluyeke Zulu, Sedwyn George, Anslin Williams, Matome Mmolai, Mzwandile Dlamini, Siyabonga Nguessan and Onke Moletshe. Left: Siphesihle Tati and Ntandoyenkosi Nkosi (right). Images: Kaizer Chiefs Youth/ Instagram Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Safa's failures caught up with Banyana at WAFCON
KWAAI: Jermaine Seoposenwe Retired Banyana Banyana Jermaine Seoposenwe revealed that they were on strike minutes before playing Ghana. | BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix THE South Sfrican Football Association (Safa) are as much to blame for Banyana Banyana's shortfalls at the recently concluded Women's Africa Cup of Nations tournament hosted in Morocco. Heading into what was their first title defence since winning the tournament in 2022, Banyana had to contend with unpaid fees from their preparation matches. These payments were not made on time, forcing the players to consider — and in some cases follow through with — match boycotts in order to get the association's attention. It is puzzling that in 2025, an organisation tasked with leading South African football still allows its national teams to be affected by administrative shortcomings. Banyana were knocked out in the semi-finals by Nigeria, who scored a late second-half goal to clinch the win (2-1) and a place in the final. The Super Falcons went on to lift the trophy, beating hosts Morocco 3–2 in a thrilling contest. Veteran midfielder Jermaine Seoposenwe who was playing her last tournament for her country after a career that lasted more than a decade, publicly addressed the difficulties the team faced behind the scenes, including a disrupted travel schedule before a key group match against Ghana. 'They (fans) don't know what is going on behind the scenes, how we are treated and suffering and how we constantly have to fight,' Seoposenwe said on Marawa Sports Worldwide. 'Before the Ghana game, the players were boycotting because we hadn't come to an agreement with the association. We were supposed to leave at 5:30 but left at 6pm, we got there at seven and kick-off was at 8pm. 'Why is that an issue? Why are we doing these things? Obviously the country expects us to go out to the field, but they don't know that we were literally sitting in the hotel room waiting for our association to come back to us.' Banyana finished fourth after losing their third/fourth place playoff match against Ghana and they have since been putting out fires; some of which they didn't start,. The association must take their share of blame with the disruption they caused leading up to the tournament.
