From bat to ball, Junior Bok captain Riley Norton has made the switch from cricket to rugby look effortless. Image: Gallo Images.
(The Post News)– Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton isn’t your typical teenage athlete. At just 19, he has already made an impact in both cricket and rugby, two of South Africa’s biggest sports. While he once stood out on the cricket pitch, even helping the SA U19 team reach the World Cup semi-final last year, Norton has now firmly focused on rugby.
He says playing both sports gave him a unique edge. Cricket taught him discipline, patience, and how to stay focused under pressure, lessons he’s carried onto the rugby field. But ultimately, it was rugby that stole his heart. He fell in love with its intensity, the teamwork, and the physical and mental challenge it demands.
Losing that cricket semi-final to India still stings, but he admits it helped shape his rugby journey. It reminded him of the importance of staying present and not getting ahead of himself, lessons that helped push the Junior Boks to World Cup glory this year.
Looking back, Norton says he already knew in matric that rugby was the way forward. After experiencing a taste of international action at the U18 level, there was no turning back.
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