Latest news with #RileyNorton
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Junior Springbok stars set to light up the Currie Cup
The Sharks, Western Province, Bulls and Lions have all named Junior Springbok stars in their squads for the 2025 Currie Cup competition. A number of players who were part of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship winning Junior Springboks squad could light up the country's oldest rugby competition, the Currie Cup, when it kicks off around South Africa this weekend. Captain Riley Norton's charges became the second South African U20 side in history to lift the prestigious trophy when they beat fierce rivals, the Junior All Blacks, in the final last weekend, emulating the class of 2012, who beat New Zealand that year on home soil. Having now arrived back in South Africa after the three week long tournament in Italy, the players may not receive much rest before they are given the chance to make an immediate step up into senior rugby in the Currie Cup. All of SA's four main franchises, who all but two (signed to the Cheetahs) of the Junior Bok squad are contracted to, have announced their squads for the competition, with the Bulls naming six junior world championship winners in their group, the Sharks and Western Province eight each, and the Lions four. First round rest Most of the teams are unlikely to pick their Junior Bok stars for round one, as they played the final last Saturday and only arrived back in South Africa on Monday, so have yet to train fully with their respective franchises, while the players who featured a lot during the tournament will also need a bit of a break. But it will be interesting to see how many Junior Boks can now make a splash in the Currie Cup and later push for places in their respective franchise URC sides when that kicks off in September. A few Junior Bok players have already made their URC debuts, but if the talent that was shown at the U20 showpiece event is anything to go by, many more of them will get a chance over the coming season. If I had to pick two players from each major franchise to keep an eye on in the Currie Cup, I'd go with Norton and Xola Nyali at Western Province, Bathobele Hlekani and Vusi Moyo at the Sharks, Siphosethu Mnebelele and Cheswill Jooste at the Bulls, and Haashim Pead and Gilermo Mentoe at the Lions.
The Citizen
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Triumphant Junior Bok captain Norton content with choosing rugby
Norton made the tough decision to choose rugby over cricket, having played for the Proteas U19 team at last year's U19 Cricket World Cup in SA. Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton on his arrival with the World Rugby U20 Championship trophy at OR Tambo airport earlier this week. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Triumphant Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton is content with his decision to choose pursuing rugby over cricket, and he admits that winning the World Rugby U20 Championship certainly makes it feel like he made the correct call. Norton led the Junior Bok side through an unbeaten campaign in Italy, which culminated with a 23-15 win over the Junior All Blacks in the final on Saturday, which saw them become just the second South African team to lift the trophy, after the class of 2012 did it on home turf. Norton is a dual sports star and during his matric year in 2024 he represented the Proteas U19 team during the U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa. However, since finishing school he has signed a contract with Western Province rugby, and was selected as captain of the Junior Boks, leading them during the U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha earlier this year, and at the world champs. 'I am very content with my choice, and winning competitions makes it a lot easier. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to play both sports, and cricket taught me so much that I can take into rugby,' said Norton after lifting the trophy on Saturday night. 'So I am really grateful for the opportunities I have been given in South Africa. But there's no sport like rugby if I'm being honest. I love the camaraderie, the intensity and the physical and mental part of it. 'I'm very grateful to be in a position like this, being able to play rugby for my country, and hopefully I can continue growing.' Cricket low Norton also experienced the lows of a major competition, when the Proteas U19s were beaten in the semifinals of last year's U19 World Cup, and he said he had taken plenty out of that disappointment, which had helped him during the U20 championship. 'It's definitely something I thought about personally. That semifinal (loss) against India hurt me quite a bit, because we were in such a good position and chucked it away, especially playing at home,' explained Norton. 'So you never like to lose semis and finals, but that (loss) taught me a lot. Things like staying in the present, not being complacent and taking things moment by moment and whistle to whistle. That's something I took out of cricket that I could put into rugby. 'That definitely did motivate me, because we all want to win trophies and medals in sport. So to get so close in such an unbelievable set-up and environment and come up short in a game we should've won, gave me personal motivation to try and get us (Junior Boks) over the line. 'I'm just so proud of the guys and the effort that they put in, because without the team and the whole unit of coaches and management, none of this would've been possible.'
Eyewitness News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Victorious Junior Springbok team set to arrive in SA
JOHANNESBURG - The victorious Junior Springbok team is set to arrive in the country on Monday morning. The team made history on Saturday when they ended a 13-year wait to win the World Rugby Under 20 Championship by beating New Zealand. A small but sizeable crowd is waiting at the arrivals' terminal to welcome home a new generation of South African stars, who've made their mark on the world stage. Led by captain Riley Norton, they became just the second Junior Springbok team to win the tournament after Wiaan Liebenberg's side did the same in Cape Town in 2012. The Junior Bok team that year featured future World Cup-winning Springbok stars Steven Kitshoff, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Handré Pollard. What will become of the class of 2025 remains to be seen, but plenty will be expected of the likes of Norton, Hashim Pead and Vusi Moyo, who made a name for themselves in 2025. The crowd gathered here has been in high spirits and full of song as they wait for Norton and his teammates to emerge with the coveted trophy in their possession. SA Rugby will host a press conference shortly where Norton, coach Kevin Foote, and SA president Mark Alexander will address the media.
IOL News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Proteas must be green with envy, as multi-talented Riley Norton shines for Baby Boks
Multi-talented Riley Norton, who led the SA Under-20 rugby team to victory in the 2025 World Rugby Under-20 Championship also previously excelled in cricket at the Under-19 Cricket World Cup last year. Picture: World Rugby 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
IOL News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Trending What a time to be a South African! No DNA, just RSA!
Springbok supporters in a joyful mood after their team's emphatic win, and the winning didn't stop their either with the Baby Boks becoming world champions and Banyana Banyana winning through to the Wafcon semi-finals. Our national sports teams made South Africans proud to be from Mzansi, as evidenced by these tweets: Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. @JFathula History has been made! After 13 years, South Africa's U20 rugby team are the new World Rugby Champions after a thrilling victory over New Zealand in the final @TraceyManus What a day for South African sport! @FNBSA1 Bokke bring the braai vibes early.2. Baby Boks tuck 'em in with tries.3. Banyana close the night with a banger.A full house of wins. Don't play with us! No DNA, just RSA. @av_sawula Lumumba Currie is an unsung hero in that Baby Boks coaching staff!He joined the side as an assistant in 2023 after leading the University of Fort Hare to Varsity Shield glory the year he's done with that forward pack is simply impressive! Top coach! @MB5Plug Siphosethu Mnebelele and Vusi Moyo just two best friends making their dreams a reality. The Baby Boks #2 and #10 have been playing together since they were U14 at KES they represented the lions at age group rugby played SA U18 together and now at 19 they've won the U20 World Cup, while generational athlete Riley Norton led the Baby Boks. Was going to take a special leader and player to lead them to glory. He is special. World at his feet. @BETTERSA_ What a day. Only politicians are holding this country back. @TlotlisoM_ Baby Boks champion captain fantastic Riley Norton captained the Cricket u19 world cup semi-finalist in 2024. @Ngizokhuluma#RSAvGEO Grant Williams is the best scrumhalf on the planet. He's so versatile, quick, intelligent and unpredictable. Grant is king! Springboks are on another level right now. @MT_Ntsonda There's no Banyana Banyana without Andile Dlamini – 2 penalties saved by her! Mannnnnn – what a player. .@Lorenz_KO Banyana Banyana secure their place in the semi-finals with a 4-1 win on penalties! They will now meet Nigeria on Tuesday. @MrRamafoko We are blessed as a country! @Mofokeng_Esq It was all about country duty. Proud South African. DAILY NEWS
