Former Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton may be utilised as more than just a lock for the Stormers this season.
According to Rapport, the Cape side appears to be grooming Norton to follow in the footsteps of Bok greats Pieter-Steph du Toit and Franco Mostert by becoming a lock who can also dominate at flank.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has been regularly deploying Norton at No 7 in training as the Cape side prepare for the new Vodacom URC season.
The idea is to turn the highly rated youngster into the kind of versatile forward prized by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, equally comfortable at lock or in the loose forwards.
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At 117kg and 1.99m, Norton has a physical profile similar to Du Toit and Mostert.
Norton has already shown the work rate required to make the transition.
In his first appearance for the Boks against the Barbarians earlier this year, he played all 80 minutes, completed all 11 of his tackles, carried eight times, won four lineouts and made six passes.
A hamstring injury ultimately prevented him from making his Test debut.
Now Dobson is looking to get him back on the field, with Norton in contention to feature in a pre-season warmup game against the Bulls in Paarl on Friday.
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“We are very happy with where Riley is now. He definitely recovered from his injury quicker than we expected. Credit to him for his work ethic. He is known for that,” Dobson told Rapport.
Norton could then make his Stormers debut against Connacht in Galway on 25 September.
Photo: @THESTORMERS/X
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Former Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton may be utilised as more than just a lock for the Stormers this season.
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