SA Rugby magazine identifies young talent with big potential.
Zekhethelo Siyaya arrived at Westville Boys’ High from Paulpietersburg Primary in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal as a shy boy, whose talent on the sports field was obvious but his lack of size a concern.
However, any fears over his stature were allayed when he burst onto the national scene with impressive displays for the Sharks at the U16 Grant Khomo Week at Boland Landbou in 2023, and by the end of that year he had also represented the Sharks U17 Sevens side.
Siyaya is a naturally gifted sportsman who has also played first-team basketball for Westville, while his footballing skills are evident with his ability to kick off both feet in the form of a booming exit or a deceptive grubber to evade opponents.
On his debut for the Westville 1st XV, he left defenders in his wake to score a brilliant try against Michaelhouse, a portent of what was to come in 2024 as he scored 17 tries in 16 matches for his school, province and country.
Siyaya suffered a knee injury at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival in the defeat to Rondebosch, which kept him out of action for five matches. Upon his return, he made up for lost time, scoring two tries and providing five try assists in thumping wins over Durbanville and Dale at the Grey High Festival in Gqeberha. He continued this form through to the end of the season, the highlight being his brace against Hilton which secured the Griffins’ first win over the Midlands powerhouse for a decade.
To underline his versatility, Siyaya played on the wing for the Sharks at last year’s U18 Craven Week in Krugersdorp. In the rarefied atmosphere, his steepling high balls caused havoc for opponents, but it was his try-scoring exploits that saw him selected for the SA Schools side on the wing. He capped a memorable fortnight on the West Rand by scoring a hat-trick against SA Schools A.
Siyaya ended a remarkable season by scoring a brace for SA U18 against Ireland U18, as the hosts won a thrilling contest 38-26 at Paarl Gimnasium.
Njabulo Zulu, his 1st XV coach at Westville in 2024 who is now at KES, is certain that Siyaya has a bright future.
“He remains humble despite attention from scouts and is loved by all the kids at Westville. He is a respectful boy who is blessed to offer a triple threat – he’s a great runner, a wonderful distributor and can kick 50m.”
Siyaya is a versatile player who can cover the back-three positions due to his aerial prowess, big boot and brilliant acceleration. He is equally at home at first receiver in phase play, where he is a skilful exponent of the now-ubiquitous kick-pass. He performs the basics exceptionally well and is an unselfish player, always looking for the offload to bring his teammates into play, often taking out several defenders in the process. He glides with ball in hand, holding the ball in two hands to keep opposition defences guessing.
He is not a soft touch and is excellent as the last line of defence, where his speed helps him to cover space, and he possesses good jackal skills and makes excellent decisions at the breakdown.
Siyaya is surely near the top of every union’s wishlist as a recruit for 2026 and sure to thrill crowds around the country again this year.
By Allan Schulz
– This article first appeared in the February 2025 issue of SA Rugby magazine. One of the three photos used was not of Zekhethelo. We regret the error.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
