Who is Riley Norton? South Africa's U19 cricketer and U20 Rugby World Cup finalist

Who is Riley Norton?

South Africa’s Riley Norton is a dual-sport athlete who has made headlines in both cricket and rugby. The athlete starring in the 2024 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup has gone on to captain South Africa to the final of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.

Norton first featured on the national setup during the 2024 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup hosted in South Africa. Just a year later, he is now preparing to lead the Junior Springboks in a World Rugby U20 Championship final against New Zealand in Italy. While many of his cricket colleagues, such as Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, progressed into professional cricket, Norton went on to represent his country in a different sport, rugby.

Riley Norton stars in U19 Cricket World Cup 

In eight Youth ODIs, the all-rounder has picked 13 wickets and scored 116 runs at an average of 38.67. During the U19 World Cup, he was one of South Africa’s best all-rounders, picking up 11 wickets at an average of 18.36 and scoring 50 runs across three innings, being dismissed just once. His best performance came against Sri Lanka, where he hammered an unbeaten 41 and finished with a spell of 4/28, helping South Africa secure a crucial win en route to the semifinals.

Despite this success, Norton hasn’t played competitive cricket since the World Cup. Instead, he has picked up rugby. Enrolling at Stellenbosch University, he joined Maties Rugby, continuing a family tradition as his father, Chris Norton, played for the same club. He is currently pursuing a B.Com degree in Investment Management while captaining South Africa’s U20 side.

Riley Norton's performance in 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup

Norton’s captaincy in the 2025 U20 Rugby World Cup has been brilliant. South Africa defeated Australia (73-17), outplayed defending champions England (32-22), and toppled Scotland (73-14) in the group stage. In the semifinal, they outclassed Argentina 48-24, securing a spot in the final against arch-rivals New Zealand at the Stadio Mario Battaglini in Rovigo on July 20. Notably, he has earned comparisons to Rudie van Vuuren of Namibia, who famously played in both the Cricket and Rugby World Cups in 2003.