Who is Riley Norton? — South Africa U19 cricketer leads U20 Rugby team into World Cup final
After representing South Africa in the 2024 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Riley Norton has now captained his nations’ U20 Rugby team to the final of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.
The 19-year-old is quickly becoming one of South Africa’s most compelling young sporting talents, making headlines for his exceptional achievements across two major sports: cricket and rugby.
In the 2024 U19 Cricket World Cup, he showcased his all-round abilities as a fast-bowling all-rounder, picking up 11 wickets at an average of 18.36 and maintaining a batting average of 50, being dismissed only once in three innings, helping South Africa reach the semifinals.
Despite his promising cricket career, Norton has recently pivoted to focus more on rugby, a sport where he has also excelled significantly. Following in the footsteps of his father, Chris Norton, who played for Maties Rugby from 1991 to 2003, Riley joined Maties Rugby this year while pursuing a B. Com Investment Management degree at Stellenbosch University.
His leadership prowess has been particularly evident in the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship. As captain of the Junior Springboks, Norton has guided his team through dominant performances, securing victories against Australia (73-17), defending champion England (32-22), and Scotland (73-14) in the group stage. They then triumphed over Argentina 48-24 in the semifinal, earning their spot in the final against New Zealand on July 20.
The youngster represents a rare breed of dual-sport athletes, drawing comparisons to figures like Namibia’s Rudie van Vuuren, who notably played in both the Cricket and Rugby World Cups. Norton’s story is an inspiring testament to elite talent knowing no boundaries, and his future in South African sport looks incredibly bright.
