Young footballer from Boland club, Leighton Davis, has been training with the Stormers team in recent weeks. This viral athlete from Boland club is preparing to move from Robertson Town, representing blue and white, to the Stormers squad. He was included in John Dobson's list of players for a pre-season friendly match this Friday against the Bulls in Paarl.
The 24-year-old sprinter, who will soon turn 25, attracted social media attention due to videos of his incredible speed in Boland club rugby. His amazing acceleration allowed him to leave defenders behind, which led to his impressive try-scoring form earning him an invitation to train with the Stormers in Cape Town over the past few weeks.
The culmination of this process was his participation in an intensive pre-season camp held in Germunus last week. Davis's addition is very timely for the Stormers, as the team has been actively seeking additional speed on the flanks ahead of the United Rugby Championship campaign.
United Rugby Championship
The Stormers have included the Boland club player, winger Leighton Davis from Robertson Town RFC, to face the Bulls in a friendly match on Friday. Davis is an elite athlete and three-time national triple jumper, as well as an experienced long jumper. His personal best in the triple jump is 16.10m, and in the long jump is 7.65m. Furthermore, his best time in the 100 meters approaches the 10.00-second mark, having gained recognition after running 10.40 seconds barefoot at an athletics event in Canada.
The combination of his tall, fluid running style and athletic background has drawn comparisons to American sevens rugby icon Perry Baker, who was also an athletics star and successfully transitioned into rugby. Davis hails from the small town of Bonnievale, located about 185 km from Cape Town, where he continues to live with his mother, Brumilda, who herself played for Boland in volleyball and achieved regional success in basketball and athletics.
When he is not participating in matches where he outpaces opponents on the field or soaring on the track, Davis works in local administration as an assistant civil specialist at the water utility. The match against the Bulls on Friday represents a significant step forward for him, moving from Boland club rugby to the professional level of the United Rugby Championship. However, Davis's coach from Robertson Town, John Buysen, believes he possesses the necessary natural talent and lethal ability to finish attacks, offering the Stormers an element of surprise on the flank.
Buysen told IOL Sport: 'He is a natural athlete, an international long and triple jumper, who loves to train and work hard. As we say here, he is so fast it seems like he is running over the grass. He scored magical tries for us and has the ability to get out of any jam. He also has a strong left kick, and he can send the ball a mile away.' He added that Davis is a 'rough diamond who can truly make a name for himself.'
Buysen emphasized that while they worked hard to develop his core winger skills, what he has in abundance cannot be taught. 'He can score from anywhere; he has that element of surprise,' he added. 'He is a quiet guy, but he can hold his own against big guys, letting his skills and speed speak for him. For such a tall guy, he has excellent acceleration, and he is even faster when reaching top speed. When he starts moving on the rugby field, he can become a real problem.'
