Kurt-Lee Arendse


Kurt-Lee Arendse is a South African professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for the 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.
IG the_kurtl33_

Early life

Arendse was born in Paarl and attended Paulus Joubert Secondary School, where he earned selection for the sevens team at the 2014 SARU Under-18 Sevens tournament.
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, providing Arendse with a route into competitive rugby.

Club career

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

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, he joined the South African Rugby Sevens Academy in December 2018.
Following an impressive 2019 Varsity Cup season for, he earned selection for the Blitzboks at the Vancouver Sevens.
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.
He also represented Monaco in the 2020 Supersevens tournament before focusing full-time on fifteens with the Bulls.

Statistics

Test match record

OpponentPWDLTryPts%Won
430115
3201630
330015
3201210
110015
4103210
3300315
1100210
4400210
110015
110015
210115
Total30230723115

International tries

TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1Mbombela, South AfricaMbombela Stadium2022 Rugby Championship6 August 2022Win26–10
2Durban, South AfricaHollywoodbets Kings Park2022 Rugby Championship24 September 2022Win38–21
3Dublin, IrelandAviva Stadium2022 Autumn Nations Series5 November 2022Loss19–16
4Marseille, FranceStade Vélodrome2022 Autumn Nations Series12 November 2022Loss30–26
5Genoa, ItalyStadio Luigi Ferraris2022 Autumn Nations Series19 November 2022Win21–63
6Genoa, ItalyStadio Luigi Ferraris2022 Autumn Nations Series19 November 2022Win21–63
7London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2022 Autumn Nations Series26 November 2022Win13–27
8Pretoria, South AfricaLoftus Versfeld Stadium2023 Rugby Championship8 July 2023Win43–12
9Pretoria, South AfricaLoftus Versfeld Stadium2023 Rugby Championship8 July 2023Win43–12
10Pretoria, South AfricaLoftus Versfeld Stadium2023 Rugby Championship8 July 2023Win43–12
11London, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches25 August 2023Win7–35
12Marseille, FranceStade Vélodrome2023 Rugby World Cup10 September 2023Win18–3
13Saint-Denis, FranceStade de France2023 Rugby World Cup15 October 2023Win28–29
14Pretoria, South AfricaLoftus Versfeld Stadium2024 Ireland tour of South Africa6 July 2024Win27–20
15Bloemfontein, South AfricaFree State Stadium2024 mid-year tests20 July 2024Win64–21
16Brisbane, AustraliaLang Park2024 Rugby Championship10 August 2024Win7–33
17Brisbane, AustraliaLang Park2024 Rugby Championship10 August 2024Win7–33
18Cardiff, WalesMillennium Stadium2024 Autumn Nations Series23 November 2024Win12–45
19Pretoria, South AfricaLoftus Versfeld Stadium2025 Italy tour of South Africa5 July 2025Win42–24
20Mbombela, South AfricaMbombela Stadium2025 mid-year tests19 July 2025Win55–10
21Johannesburg, South AfricaEllis Park Stadium2025 Rugby Championship16 August 2025Loss22–38
22London, EnglandWembley Stadium2025 end-of-year tests1 November 2025Win7–61
23London, EnglandWembley Stadium2025 end-of-year tests1 November 2025Win7–61

Honours

; South Africa
; Blitzboks
; Bulls
; Individual