Kurt-Lee Arendse, born on 17 June 1996, is a talented South African rugby player who represents both the South Africa National Team, known as the Springboks, and the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship. He is primarily positioned as a wing or fullback, utilizing his speed and skills to make a significant impact on the field.
Arendse's rugby journey began at Paulus Joubert Secondary School in Paarl, where he showcased his abilities and earned a spot in the Boland Cavaliers' sevens team for the 2014 SARU Under-18 Sevens competition. He continued to progress through the ranks, competing in various national junior competitions. Arendse represented 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.
In 2018, Arendse's talents were recognized when he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the Varsity Cup Sevens tournament. Subsequently, he joined the South African Rugby Sevens Academy in December 2018, further honing his skills in the shorter format of the game. He had a stint with UWC in the 2019 Varsity Cup before receiving the call-up to represent the Blitzboks in the Vancouver Sevens. Arendse made his debut for the national sevens team in a 31-12 Cup semi-final victory over Fiji. Although he was an unused replacement in the final, South Africa emerged victorious, defeating France 21-12.
In 2020, Arendse joined the Monaco rugby sevens team for the Supersevens tournament, where he showcased his skills alongside other talented South African players. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on sevens tournaments, he made a move to the Pretoria Bulls franchise, immediately making a positive impression with his performances.
Kurt-Lee Arendse continues to excel in both the sevens and fifteens formats of the game, representing the Springboks at the international level and making valuable contributions to the Bulls. With his speed, versatility, and exceptional skills, he remains a promising player in South African rugby.
Ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2023, Arendse has been named in the South African training squad.
KG(20/05/2023)
Career
 |
South Africa Left Wing |
2022 - present |
 |
Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars Left Wing |
2024 - present |
 |
South Africa 7's Scrum Half |
2019 - 2021 |
 |
Bulls Left Wing |
2020 - 2024 |
 |
Blue Bulls Left Wing |
2020 - 2024 |
