Kurt-Lee Arendse

Kurt-Lee Arendse
Arendse playing in 2022
Full nameKurt-Lee Arendse
Born (1996-06-17) 17 June 1996
Paarl, South Africa
Height1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight80 kg (180 lb)[1]
SchoolPaulus Joubert Secondary School, Paarl
UniversityUniversity of the Western Cape
Rugby union career
Position Wing Fullback
Current team Bulls
Youth career
2015 Western Province U19
2016 Boland U20
2017 Western Province U21
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020– Bulls 53 (160)
2020– Blue Bulls 14 (20)
2024-2025 → Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars 12 (35)
Correct as of 23 July 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–2021 South Africa Sevens 41 (75)
2022– South Africa 30 (115)
Correct as of 15 November 2025
Medal record
Men's Rugby union
Representing  South Africa
Rugby World Cup
2023 France Squad

Kurt-Lee Arendse (born 17 June 1996) is a South African professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship and for the South Africa national team. Known for his pace, agility and finishing ability, he has become one of the Springboks’ most influential outside backs since his debut in 2022.

Early life

Arendse was born in Paarl and attended Paulus Joubert Secondary School, where he earned selection for the Boland Cavaliers sevens team at the 2014 SARU Under-18 Sevens tournament.[2]

Despite his promise, he did not enter the mainstream provincial rugby system after matric and worked at a local butchery in Paarl. During one of SA Rugby’s youth weeks, while representing a Boland Academy side, he was spotted by former Springbok winger Chester Williams. Williams subsequently offered him an opportunity to join UWC, providing Arendse with a route into competitive rugby.[3]

Club career

Arendse progressed through the junior structures of Boland and Western Province, representing Western Province U19 in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship, Boland U20 in the 2016 Under-20 Provincial Championship, and Western Province U21 in the 2017 Under-21 Provincial Championship.

He later joined the Bulls in Pretoria in 2020, transitioning fully into the fifteen-a-side game after the COVID-19 pandemic halted the international sevens circuit where he had been representing South Africa. He made an immediate impact in domestic competition and quickly established himself as a key member of the Bulls’ United Rugby Championship and Currie Cup squads.[4]

International career

Arendse made his international debut for South Africa on 9 July 2022 in a Test against Wales in Bloemfontein. He soon became a first-choice wing for the Springboks, noted for his speed, aerial ability and finishing.

He started in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, helping South Africa secure a 12–11 victory over New Zealand. Arendse has also been part of the Springbok squads that won the 2023 Rugby Championship and 2024 Rugby Championship.

Blitzboks

Arendse’s rise to elite rugby was strongly shaped by sevens. After excelling in the Varsity Cup structures and being named MVP of the 2018 Varsity Cup Sevens tournament,[5] he joined the South African Rugby Sevens Academy in December 2018.

Following an impressive 2019 Varsity Cup season for UWC, he earned selection for the Blitzboks at the Vancouver Sevens.[6]

He made his World Series debut in a 31–12 semi-final victory over Fiji and was part of the squad that defeated France 21–12 in the final.[7][8]

He also represented Monaco in the 2020 Supersevens tournament before focusing full-time on fifteens with the Bulls.

Statistics

Test match record

As of 18 November 2025
Opponent P W D L Try Pts %Won
 Argentina 4 3 0 1 1 5 75
 Australia 3 2 0 1 6 30 66.67
 England 3 3 0 0 1 5 100
 France 3 2 0 1 2 10 66.67
 Georgia 1 1 0 0 1 5 100
 Ireland 4 1 0 3 2 10 25
 Italy 3 3 0 0 3 15 100
 Japan 1 1 0 0 2 10 100
 New Zealand 4 4 0 0 2 10 100
 Portugal 1 1 0 0 1 5 100
 Scotland 1 1 0 0 1 5 100
 Wales 2 1 0 1 1 5 50
Total 30 23 0 7 23 115 76.67

International tries

As of 1 November 2025[9]
Try Opposing team Location Venue Competition Date Result Score
1  New Zealand Mbombela, South Africa Mbombela Stadium 2022 Rugby Championship 6 August 2022 Win 26–10
2  Argentina Durban, South Africa Hollywoodbets Kings Park 2022 Rugby Championship 24 September 2022 Win 38–21
3  Ireland Dublin, Ireland Aviva Stadium 2022 Autumn Nations Series 5 November 2022 Loss 19–16
4  France Marseille, France Stade Vélodrome 2022 Autumn Nations Series 12 November 2022 Loss 30–26
5  Italy Genoa, Italy Stadio Luigi Ferraris 2022 Autumn Nations Series 19 November 2022 Win 21–63
6
7  England London, England Twickenham Stadium 2022 Autumn Nations Series 26 November 2022 Win 13–27
8  Australia Pretoria, South Africa Loftus Versfeld Stadium 2023 Rugby Championship 8 July 2023 Win 43–12
9
10
11  New Zealand London, England Twickenham Stadium 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches 25 August 2023 Win 7–35
12  Scotland Marseille, France Stade Vélodrome 2023 Rugby World Cup 10 September 2023 Win 18–3
13  France Saint-Denis, France Stade de France 2023 Rugby World Cup 15 October 2023 Win 28–29
14  Ireland Pretoria, South Africa Loftus Versfeld Stadium 2024 Ireland tour of South Africa 6 July 2024 Win 27–20
15  Portugal Bloemfontein, South Africa Free State Stadium 2024 mid-year tests 20 July 2024 Win 64–21
16  Australia Brisbane, Australia Lang Park 2024 Rugby Championship 10 August 2024 Win 7–33
17
18  Wales Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2024 Autumn Nations Series 23 November 2024 Win 12–45
19  Italy Pretoria, South Africa Loftus Versfeld Stadium 2025 Italy tour of South Africa 5 July 2025 Win 42–24
20  Georgia Mbombela, South Africa Mbombela Stadium 2025 mid-year tests 19 July 2025 Win 55–10
21  Australia Johannesburg, South Africa Ellis Park Stadium 2025 Rugby Championship 16 August 2025 Loss 22–38
22  Japan London, England Wembley Stadium 2025 end-of-year tests 1 November 2025 Win 7–61
23

Honours

South Africa
Blitzboks
Bulls
  • Super Rugby Unlocked:
Individual
  • United Rugby Championship Player of the Month (South Africa):
  • United Rugby Championship Elite XV:
  • Bulls Awards:
    • Vodacom Bulls Heineken Champions Cup Player of the Year: 2022–23
    • Vodacom Fans Player of the Year – APP: 2023
    • Vodacom Players’ Player of the Year: 2023
    • Vodacom Player of the Year: 2023

References

  1. ^ a b "Kurt-Lee Arendse player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  2. ^ "WP U18 Sevens Champs". Rugby365. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  3. ^ "WATCH: The Kurt-Lee Arendse story – from the butchery to Springbok star and the influence of Chester Williams". IOL. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Currie Cup Team of the Week: Round 1". SA Rugbymag.
  5. ^ "Player Profiles : Kurt-Lee Arendse". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Davids and Arendse to join Blitzboks in Vancouver" (Press release). South African Rugby Union. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Match Centre: Vancouver, Cup Semi Finals, Match 39". World Rugby. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Match Centre: Vancouver, Cup Final, Match 45". World Rugby. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Kurt-Lee ARENDSE profile and stats". all.rugby. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Kurt-Lee Arendse voted SA URC Player of the Month after electrifying performances". IOL. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.


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