A world champion Junior Springbok is set to swap Durban for Joburg after the Currie Cup.
Flank/lock Bathobele Hlekani was a star performer in Italy as South Africa won the World Rugby U20 Championship for the first time since 2012, and one of three Junior Boks – along with scrumhalf Haashim Pead and winger Cheswill Jooste – invited to train with the Springboks during their two-week conditioning camp in Johannesburg.
The 20-year-old forward featured for the Sharks in last years’ Currie Cup and came off the bench in their European Challenge Cup round-of-16 match against Lyon in April.
Planet Rugby reports that Hlekani will join the Lions ahead of the 2025-26 Vodacom URC season, bucking the recent trend of talent heading in the opposite direction.
It is a significant addition for the Lions, who’ve already secured Pead through to 2028 and signed talented Grey College trio Ethan Adams, Sherwin Buys and David Hayidakis.
🇿🇦 Sharks’ Batho Hlekani, who makes this break, is an unbelievable talent.
The Baby Boks are full of future stars.pic.twitter.com/infp2UiJ0e
— RugbyInsideLine (@RugbyInsideLine) July 14, 2025
Photo: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images