VIDEO: Cricket disappointment fuelled Norton to rugby success
WATCH as victorious South African Under-20 captain Riley Norton speaks about the lessons he took into rugby from the disappointment of losing in an Under-19 cricket World Cup semifinal.
Norton is a rare breed, one who can succeed in cricket and rugby at an elite level.
Names such as Schalk Burger, Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers come to mind as sportsmen who shone at both sporting codes in their youth before switching permanently to one and having a successful career.
Just a year ago, Norton was part of the South African U19 cricket outfit that came agonisingly close to defeating India in the semifinal.
Norton said that cricket taught him valuable lessons, but he decided to pursue rugby instead.
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“I’m lucky to have had the opportunity to play both sports,” the 19-year-old said.
“Cricket taught me so much that I could take into rugby, so I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given in South Africa.
“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 this position and to play rugby for my country, and hopefully I can continue growing.
“I’m very content with my choice.”
Norton added that the disappointment of losing the cricket semifinal gave him extra motivation and many lessons he took into rugby.
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“It’s something I thought about,” he said about the loss in the cricket U19 World Cup semifinal.
“That semifinal against India hurt me quite a bit.
“We were in such a good position and we chucked it away, especially playing at home.
“You never like to lose knock-out games, but it 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 apply in rugby.
“That motivated me. 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 the Junior Boks over the line.
“I’m just so proud of the guys and the effort they put in.
“Without the team and the whole unit of the coaches and management, none of this would’ve been possible.”
Norton said he knew in matric already, last year, that the oval ball was the sport for him.
“It wasn’t anything that happened in cricket,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “Losing in the [cricket] semifinal was tough.
“However, I then experienced the Under-18 [rugby World Championship] at home and got a taste for it.
“At the start of the Paul Roos season, in matric, I realised I was leaning more towards rugby.”
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